


Bad Luck

by notcrindy



Series: Bad Luckverse [1]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, child Taako, grown up Angus, i don't really know what else to tag this yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-13
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2018-12-14 17:42:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 89,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11788161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notcrindy/pseuds/notcrindy
Summary: When  Phandalin goes up in flames practically overnight, world-famous detective Angus McDonald is on the case (whether his services are specifically requested or not). But what to do with its lone survivor? One elven little boy and his umbrella may just hold all the answers... ...and prove to be Angus's greatest unsolved mystery yet. One thing's for sure: it's bad luck to open an umbrella indoors.





	1. Prologue

His name is Taako, and he has an umbrella.

It’s a little weird that he has it because it’s not raining. He may not remember where he got it from, but he’s not stupid; he knows you open an umbrella in the rain and you hold it over your head because it keeps you dry. Having an umbrella when it’s not raining doesn’t make sense, but it doesn’t matter. It’s bright red and when he opens it up it’s bigger than the size of his head and he has a little trouble holding it up.

That’s what he knows.

What he doesn’t know is a lot more. He doesn’t remember where he got the umbrella, but it’s even weirder and worse not to remember what came before that. He takes cautious glances around him and tries to figure it out, eyes darting back and forth, but there aren't even any buildings. When he looks down at his feet, he sees an elven boy blinking back at him and knows it’s his own reflection. Things are so uncertain, but that’s a welcome sight.

The black and shiny surface of the floor below isn’t. He doesn’t remember his feet ever touching any other floor, but something deep and instinctive inside him knows that the ground isn’t supposed to  _ be _ like that. He can’t explain it, like most things. He’s keeping track of the things he can’t explain, and when he sees little flakes float through the air, he feels like he should shiver. But it’s not snow.

Umbrella, ground, not-snow.

“I’m Taako,” he repeats to himself with certainty. He takes a deep breath and moves forward. “And I have an umbrella.”

As he drags the umbrella with him against the glass, it agrees. These are the facts.

It’s not quite a fact, but the other thing he knows is that he needs to keep moving. There are some things, maybe, that you know without the words for them. Occasionally his stomach growls and reminds him that he’s hungry, or his legs start to wobble and remind him that he’s been walking for quite a long time, but he has a feeling he’s used to this. Whenever he feels like stopping, he takes a short rest and then continues onward.

He does this until the sun starts setting, and then he’s too tired.

“I’m Taako,” he tells himself again like it’s going to help him. Maybe he’s just afraid he’s going to forget -- after all, he’s forgotten everything else. “I’m an elf. I have an umbrella.”

When he finally stops, it’s because he can’t keep going anymore. The world starts spinning and getting to be so far away, his entire body  _ hurts _ with hunger, and words don’t feel like his anymore. He tries to ignore it like everything else, but he can’t do that forever, and the umbrella clatters to the ground first.

“No,” he whimpers. As he hits the ground beside it, he claws frantically for it, grasping the handle with little fingers and pulling it as close as he can. “Please, don’t go.”

The next thing is not a sight at all. It’s the feeling of hands on him, and then the feeling of being held in someone’s arms. He can’t open his eyes to see, but they’re holding him gently, so he figures it might be okay. At that point, there’s not a lot of thinking, either. “I’m Taako,” he informs whatever’s holding him. “I have an umbrella.”

“I can see that, Taako,” says a voice. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

“I’m an elf,” he replies, dazed.

“Mhm.” He’s being held up close now, like something is trying to keep him safe and warm, and he feels that they’re moving. That’s good. Taako knows they should keep moving. “Listen, Taako, my name’s Angus, and this is June. We’re going to go on a little ride, okay?”

“Why?” He asks. He thinks he asks. No one answers. 

“Okay,” he agrees after a moment.

“Okay,” says Angus.

Another thing that Taako knows, that he’s barely able to think of as he feels the figure stepping somewhere else, is that you don’t normally trust or talk to strangers. This is another thing that, like an umbrella’s uses, just seems like something to know and understand. Normally, he thinks, he might bristle against the touch of this person or feel afraid when they start to move.

“It might feel a little weird for a sec,” says Angus. “You’re okay, though.”

But Taako only has one concern. “Don’t take my umbrella.”

“We won’t,” the man called Angus promises.

When Taako sleeps, he dreams of static.


	2. Chapter 1

When Taako wakes, there’s only one thing on his mind.

“Where’s my  _ umbrella? _ ” He asks, starting out of his sleep like he’s just had a nightmare.

“It’s right beside you, sweet pea,” a woman informs him. She is tall and her voice sounds slightly different from what he’s used to, but Taako doesn’t care. He only regards her with a suspicious eye before he spots the umbrella leaning right beside him and  _ clings _ to it.

“Okay,” he says. “Where’s Angus?”

“He’ll be right in in a second, hon,” she assures him. “Do you remember me? I’m June. I was with the both of you.”

“Oh,” says Taako, still staring at the floor.

“Would you like some hot cocoa? It’s mighty tasty.”

“Angus,” he says, holding the umbrella protectively as he eyes her. “Angus can make it for me.”

“Okay, pumpkin. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind that one bit.”

She goes back to being quiet, and while she is, he looks around the room. He’s on a couch with a blanket over him. There’s not much else in the room except the lady June, wearing all yellow. The carpet is boring, but it’s much better than black glass. He thinks about running, but wonders where he would go, and stays and waits for Angus.

He stares blankly ahead. When the door opens he nearly starts back but holds tighter to the umbrella instead. He doesn’t know who this is that has just walked in, but he’s very tall too. He has glasses. That’s nerd stuff.

“Oh, there you are, Angus,” says June. “This little peach was askin’ all about you.”

The man turns. “Oh, really?” He crouches down to meet Taako’s level. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t come in right away, buddy. Did you meet June? She’s a nice lady.”

“He did indeed.”

“She’s very yellow,” he remarks, studying this man with glasses and a vest. He’s startled again when Angus cracks a smile and a slight laugh, and he scoots back a little bit on the couch, eyes wide.

“Oh, sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you. That’s just very good, Taako. Her dress is very yellow.”

“And she talks funny.”

“Everyone talks like that where she’s from.”

“Oh,” he says. There is not much more to say.

“Did she offer you some hot cocoa?”

“Yes,” he admits. “But I want you to make it, not her.”

“I think I can manage that.” The man smiles. When Angus smiles it’s very bright teeth, it’s very warm, and that doesn’t seem like a bad stranger. Doesn’t mean that Taako trusts him, though. Not yet. There are a lot of things he doesn’t know, but he knows better than that.

“Tia Tilla said one day  _ I  _ can make the hot chocolate,” he says, just so this man knows he’s not all that special for being able to do it. “But I’m not allowed yet.”

He doesn’t remember who “Tia Tilla” is. It just comes out of his mouth as a fact about a person, and so it’s true. Angus doesn’t seem to mind this, though, and continues to look friendly. “Ah,” he says. “Well, are you at least allowed to watch me make the hot cocoa? We can do that if you want.”

Taako’s eyes go wider. He doesn’t know why. Something about this seems familiar enough that he bobs his head up and down somewhat cautiously, and he slips off the couch. The blanket is purple and fuzzy and trailing behind him like a cape, and he drags the umbrella with him as he goes.

“I hope you like it  _ extra _ chocolate-y.”

“Don’t worry,” he reassures the man. “That’s my favorite.”

“Well, that’s lucky for me, then, ‘cuz that’s just how I like to make it.”

Taako keeps a vigilant eye on the back of the man’s legs so he doesn’t get separated from him, but he’s also careful to notice the surroundings, the way they go out of one room and into another one. There aren’t any other people on the way there, which suits him just fine right now, and the blanket and umbrella both make different dragging sounds on the carpet.

They find themselves in a kitchen, which isn’t that unexpected. Taako knows that the only place you can make things like hot cocoa is in a kitchen, and even though this one is small it has all the makings of one. There’s machines for heating things up and cooling things down, stray foodstuffs scattered here and there, and Angus takes a big round cylinder out of a cupboard that must be for the cocoa. When he opens it up, Taako knows for sure, and he darts over to take a deep whiff of the contents inside.

“Careful.” Angus laughs and cracks a small smile, still holding the can out for him. “You’re gonna get it all over your nose like that.”

“Oh, I don’t mind.”

“Oh, boy, okay.” Angus laughs an awful lot at him so far, but it’s a soft sort of laughter. “Well, let me know when you’re done, so I can start making the--”

As soon as Taako stops focusing on the can, something else snaps into place, and he realizes with a sort of terrible feeling that he can see his reflection in  _ this _ floor, too. “Um,” he starts. No words for the knot twisting itself up in his stomach, not right now.

“Everything okay, Taako?”

“Um,” he tries again. “I can see myself.”

By now, Angus has set the can of cocoa down, and he’s got his full attention on the little elf. “Your reflection, you mean?”

There it is, one of his only comforts from before: the same reflection of the same little elven boy blinking when he blinks. This time, though, it isn’t quite so comforting. He wants to find the words for how and why. “The floor,” he tries still. “It isn’t s’posed to…”

Realization dawns on the man’s face. “Oh, it’s like the black glass, huh? In Phandalin…”

For the second time since he got here, Taako feels like running. He doesn’t, though, because the man named Angus is by his side now, crouching down to meet his eyes again. “Taako, it’s okay,” he says. His eyes look like they mean it, but it’s not enough. “It’s not like that. The floor’s just shiny, that’s all. You’re safe now. I promise.”

Was he unsafe before? He nods his head slowly.

“Do you still want hot cocoa?”

“With marshmallows,” he risks. He figures a place like this has that stuff.

“You got it.”

For the next little while, Taako follows Angus faithfully around the little kitchen, and he’s fascinated. It’s got all the same steps it should, he thinks, even though he can’t really remember ever seeing this before. He watches as Angus gets the milk out of the fridge and pours it into a mug, and he delights in the way it gets so chilly when it’s open and goes back to normal when it’s closed. He sees the way he dumps the cocoa in and is almost rapt.

“Okay, this is gonna be  _ really _ chocolate-y, but I need your help.” At that, Taako snaps to attention, ears perking up. “Do you think you can help me stir it in?”

“Yes, I’m  _ best _ at that,” Taako blurts out before he can help himself. “Just ask Tia.”

“Oh, jeez,” gasps Angus. “Well, if you’re the best, then I  _ definitely _ need your help.”

He won’t let Angus lift him up to stir, even though he thinks that’s how it usually goes. Instead, Angus places the mug carefully where he can reach, and he gleefully watches over it and grabs the spoon, stirring until it’s just the right chocolate colors. When he’s all done, Angus says he’s done such a good job, and after it’s all heated up he gets to tell Angus how many marshmallows. The result is a drink with marshmallows piled pretty high, but this seems pretty okay.

“Looks pretty good, Taako.”

“Well, you can’t have any.” The tone of his own voice surprises him, and he feels the same protectiveness of his new cup of hot chocolate that he feels for the umbrella, only slightly different. “It’s  _ mine. _ ”

For a moment, and for reasons he doesn’t understand, Taako is worried this might get him in Trouble with the adult and takes a nervous step back. His eyes are still fierce, but he’s trembling pretty awfully, and he struggles to stand up tall. But Angus isn’t like whatever some part of his brain or body expects anyway, and his eyes are kind and soft.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay, bud. I’m not going to take your hot chocolate.”

The little elf stares him down, trying to determine whether or not he can really trust this stranger not to take all the hot and sugary drinks for himself, and after a second of this, he relaxes a bit. “Okay. That’s okay, then.”

“Do you want a snack while we’re here?”

His stomach growls again, reminding him of the hunger so much it’s like pain. He must look pretty miserable because Angus is quick to fetch him an apple and some crackers without asking again. After that, they head back to the couch, and the lady with the yellow dress is nowhere to be found. He drinks the hot chocolate before anything else, guzzling it down so fast he nearly burns his tongue.

“Careful, Taako,” Angus says again. “You don’t want to get sick.”

There’s no reply from the boy, but he does put the hot cocoa down for a second to start eating the crackers. He eats them with all the ferocity of someone who hasn’t had anything to eat in what feels like a long, long time, and they go nicely with the hot drink. Angus is watching him do all this and not making a single move for his food, which is good because it’s all  _ his _ and he doesn’t want anyone else to do anything with it.

There’s a moment of quiet while Taako tries to let it all settle in his belly.

Angus tries to speak after a second. “Listen, Taako--”

Now he’s going for the apple, and this time he actually pays a little bit of attention to the adult in front of him. It’s a difficult task, though, because this apple is one of the sweetest and juiciest things he’s ever tasted. That he can remember, anyway. “Mmf?”

As usual, the adult is smiling. “Taako, I know you’ve had a really long day.”

“Mhm.” He’s trying to really care about the words coming out of this man’s mouth, but he cares more about the fruit gnashing between his teeth.

“And I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

He’s running out of apple and the hot chocolate is gone.

“But I have a question. Would you be okay to stay with me for a little while?”

The apple’s gone, chewed down to its last bits. His stomach isn’t hungry anymore, but now it’s experiencing a fullness that’s really different, and he almost feels sort of comfortable and cozy. The blanket’s wrapped around him, the couch is pretty comfy, and his eyes are heavy even though he slept before. “Mmkay.”

“Oh, that’s good, Taako. I’m glad.”

“Do you…” A yawn interrupts the rest of his sentence. “Do you, um… ...live here?”

“Hah, oh no. No, this is just where I work. You’ll like where I live, though.”

He yawns again. “Oh. Good. Okay.”

Taako tries his best to stay awake, but pretty soon Angus has scooped him up gently again, and he feels too warm and nice to keep his eyes open. “Umbrella,” he reminds the man and himself before he sticks his thumb in his mouth. “‘Member to bring… ...umbrella, please.”

“You got it, little guy,” Angus reassures him softly. “We won’t leave it, I promise.”

He feels himself being carried and tries to hold on to the fabric of the man’s shirt with his other hand. As they were before, the steps are careful, and Taako is still wondering why he hasn’t flinched away. Maybe tomorrow, some distant part of him thinks. Most of him, by now, is starting to dream.

“Poor thing.” The lady June’s voice calls him. “He must be so exhausted.”

“Yeah,” Angus replies. “He conked out pretty much as soon as I fed him. He’s been through a whole lot.”

“Angus,” June’s voice is suddenly very serious. “Do you think he… ...lived there?”

“I dunno what else to assume at this point, June.”

“Poor thing,” she says again. “But you know, if they find out you have this boy and he has any ties to Phandalin--well, they’re gonna have questions. They’re gonna wanna have a word with you, Angus. With him.”

Angus sighs. “I know.”

“Everybody’s just about beside themselves hoping you’ll hop on this case anyway. If they find out we’ve been investigatin’ it ourselves, I dunno how much more private we can be. Roswell’s been itchin’ to get us to operate out of Refuge anyway. This might give ‘em even  _ more _ cause to be worried about me. A whole town! Up in flames like that.”

“I know.”

“And once  _ Mavis _ finds out, she’ll  _ definitely _ wanna know--”

“I  _ know, _ June.” Angus is careful to whisper when Taako shifts and moans slightly. “But you know how Mavis is. She probably doesn’t even want me on this case. She’s great and all, but she’s a lot more--”

“--of a hardass?”

“June! That’s not funny.” But he’s laughing softly. “Look, it’s nothing against her. She’s great at what she does for sure, and I respect that. She probably doesn’t want me getting involved ‘cuz she needs some credit for herself, and that’s okay. Operating strictly within the confines of the law is hard and deserves respect.”

“...But you’re still trying to beat her to the punch, huh.”

“It’s got nothing to  _ do _ with that, and you know it.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It’s just that things over there move a little too slowly for me, June. That’s all. You know how I am -- I have to find answers. I can’t let her box me out or limit my thinking just ‘cuz I’ve attracted attention a few times.”

“By being a world-famous genius?”

He sputters. “I-If you wanna put it like that, I mean--I’m not really a  _ genius. _ The clues are all already there. I just find ‘em first.”

“Calm down, Mister Hotshot Detective. We’ve all seen your interviews in the papers.”

“R-Right, um.” He lowers his voice even more. “Anyway, right now it’s mostly about the kid. He needs time to adjust first, you know? I don’t want people like Mavis to get a hold of him and start asking him difficult questions ‘til he’s ready. And he’s not. Not yet. Not by a  _ long  _ shot.”

“So you’re gonna take him home, then?”

“Well, for now, I guess so. I--I just thought, you already have your hands full, and he needs to go  _ somewhere  _ and he seems to like me, and I know what it’s like to be…”

“I know, Angus. You don’t have to explain. You’ll do just fine.”

“Thanks, Junebug. It means a lot.”

“Aw, don’t mention it. And don’t worry, okay? I won’t tell anyone about this.”

“Not even Roswell?”

“Nope. My lips are sealed.”

“Thank god. Um… okay. Guess I’ll... ...see you tomorrow, then.”

“You know it.” Now June is whispering so soft, up close to Taako’s ear. “And I’ll see you tomorrow  _ too, _ sugarplum. Sweet dreams.”

Maybe, at one point, he did have dreams. He can’t remember anymore.

For now, Taako just drifts into another staticky slumber, and it isn't sweet at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that wraps up the first chapter, I guess! To me it just feels like more of an extension of the prologue, but whatever. Thank you so much for reading and responding with such positive feedback so far. This already has more kudos than anything I've ever written before, and I just can't believe it's gotten such a warm reception. I appreciate it so much. Hopefully I'll get chapter two up soon!


	3. Chapter 2

The static dreams aren’t sweet, and they’re kind of unpleasant, but in a weird way. Taako knows his dreams aren’t supposed to be like that, but that’s the extent of it, just something strange nagging at the back of his mind.

What comes next is much worse.

He sees his reflection every which way he turns, and everywhere he steps turns smooth and black. He’s looking for something familiar and safe, anything at all, but he can’t even find his umbrella, and the same not-snow floats through the air. This time, though, he’s surrounded by flames, and the scenery isn’t quite what it was before. The floor is dark and shiny, and he’s surrounded by his own face, but the rest of the surroundings are unfamiliar to him.

Things distort and warp constantly. He thinks he sees a bookcase, but it looks wrong somehow, like it’s going to hurt him. He sees familiar objects like couches, beds, and other pieces of furniture he feels like he’s seen before, but all of it seems strange and malicious. His heart is pounding horribly in his chest, and his breathing’s all weird, and he keeps fumbling around for the umbrella.

And _screaming._

“Where _is_ it?” He’s howling at nothing desperately. “It was just right _here._ Where is my _umbrella?_ ” Tears are streaming down his cheeks, and he can’t remember ever crying like this before. Maybe he doesn’t _want_ to remember ever crying like this before. Versions of him are all crying too, and that makes it even worse.

“ _Umbrella,_ ” they’re all sobbing. “ _Umbrella, umbrella!!_ ”

“No, no, _no!!_ ”

He starts to try to run now, and as he does, even the sky changes. He hasn’t noticed much about it before, but now it seems to be getting darker, and not in the way it does when the sun goes down. He thinks he can see something up there, something expanding, and he slowly starts to realize that it’s got a bunch of eyes all trained on him. It’s swallowing the world up.

This time, there are no words. He can’t help but forget the umbrella. All of his reflections disappear, and he’s doing nothing except screech and run for his life now. He’s crying so much that the world seems even more disorienting than before; it’s hard to see anything at all through the tears, and his cheeks sting. There’s no escaping anything, but he’s only a little boy, and he doesn’t know what else to do.

When he runs into a figure’s arms, he yelps like he’s been hurt and starts thrashing. He can’t make out their face; the flames and the tears make it too hard for him to see. All he knows is that something’s got its arms around him, and he needs to get out _now._ All he does is try to fight his way out and yell and _yell._

“Taako,” says the figure, and he doesn’t recognize their voice. “Taako, shh…”

“No, _no,_ ” he protests, still struggling in their grasp. “I _won’t,_ I _won’t_ , let _go--_ ”

But they won’t let go. “Taako, it’s me. It’s Angus. What’s wrong?”

“I don’t _know_ ,” he gasps in-between sobs. “I don’t know this place, I don’t know you--where’s my _umbrella?_ Where’d it _go?_ ” He tries to fight some more, but it’s not doing anything, and he keeps dissolving into tears.

“It’s still here, buddy. It’s okay. It’s just me, Angus. Remember me? We made hot chocolate earlier.”

He can start to make out the face with those glasses on, but he can’t trust it. “Please, don’t hurt me.”

“I would never--”

“Please, don’t let it _hurt_ me, Angus!”

“It’s okay, bud. You’re okay.” As he stops struggling against the figure, he starts to recognize more of Angus’s features and clothes, and he buries his face deep into his shirt and wails. “It’s just a bad dream. You’re just having a bad dream, okay? It’s not real.”

“It was going to _hurt_ me,” he cries, face still buried.

“I know it felt like that, Taako.” Thankfully, Angus’s voice is so soft, just like it has been before, and he’s quick to hold the trembling elf in his arms. “I know it did, but it’s okay now. You’re safe.”

“Promise,” blubbers Taako.

“I promise. Nothing’s gonna hurt you.” As Taako’s tears stain his shirt, Angus begins to stroke his hair softly. “I won’t let it, okay? You’re safe with me.”

“It had lots of eyes,” murmurs Taako as the sobbing starts to fade, seeming almost dazed now. “It was so scary… Not sp’osed to have that many eyes…”

“Shh. I know. But there’s nothing like that here. You’re okay. It’s okay.”

Soon enough, as quickly as it had come, the terror fades. He doesn’t know what he’s doing out here, in Angus’s arms, but he calms down and returns to sleep like nothing’s happened. He thinks maybe Angus is stroking his hair, but it’s not relevant to his deep sleep, and it’s all static again anyways.

By the morning, the only thing he remembers is drifting off to sleep in his arms in the first place, and he wakes up in a bed he doesn’t know at all. It’s comfortable enough, so this doesn’t actually alarm him; some part of him thinks he must be used to waking up in strange places, and he stays under the covers for some time, snuggled up and staring at the ceiling. The panic only occurs again when he’s searching for his umbrella, but he’s relieved to find it sitting up against the bed.

With some reluctance, he slips out of bed, still groggy and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. After a moment of yawning and trying to adjust to what’s around him, he starts to leave the room, umbrella in one hand and the thumb of the other in his mouth. This must be where Angus lives, so Angus has to be somewhere, and maybe he can get him some food. Taako pays attention to the surroundings as he goes. The carpet is much softer here.

There’s a room across from his with the door wide open, and he can’t resist peeking his head in to see what’s there. It looks like the bed he just got out of, only much bigger, as big as a mountain maybe. There’s a bookshelf and that’s about it, no sign of Angus, so it only captures his attention for a second before he keeps moving.

There are some more doors after that and a long hallway. Taako is trying his very best to not be concerned because this is the least scary place so far, but the longer he goes without seeing Angus the more concerned he feels that he might be lost in such a big place. The scared feeling starts to creep up on him, and he takes his thumb out of his mouth when it does, still trying to be careful and observe while he goes.

“Angus?” He finally calls out, first softly because he just woke up and then louder. “ _Angus?_ Where are you, Angus?”

His ears perk up as he listens carefully for the voice, but pretty soon it comes back to him. “Oh, Taako! I’m just in here making breakfast. Are you okay?”

The relief that he feels isn’t something he knows how to understand yet. “Mm,” he says warily, still looking around. “I think I’m lost. I wanna eat.” There’s a picture on the wall of someone holding a piece of round glass over their eye. The boy doesn’t care about any of this, and can’t read what it says on the bottom.

“Sorry, little buddy. It’s kind of a big house, huh?”

“Yeah,” says the elf with a hint of awe and disdain. “ _Too_ big.”

“Sorry,” Angus apologizes again. “Stay where you are, and I’ll come get you.”

He’s eyeing the picture suspiciously now. “...’kay.”

Pretty soon he sees Angus coming to get him and lead him into the kitchen, and the closer he gets to the kitchen the better something smells. When they arrive, all of Taako’s misgivings about the size of the house are forgiven, because this kitchen is _much_ bigger than the last and the table is huge.

“ _Wow,_ ” he breathes.

Angus sees the look in his eyes and grins. “Pretty neat, huh? One of the good things about having a big ol’ house is you have a lot of kitchen.”

Taako is almost too dumbstruck to respond, and he’s trying to take everything in at once. “This is,” he says, trying to look around frantically at all of the different cupboards and the big fridge and stove, “this is so _good,_ Angus.”

“I’m glad you like it. Wanna come sit down? I made waff--”

Like a flash, Taako’s already climbing up onto the chair to sit, setting the umbrella down carefully against the chair and giving it a little pat.

“--les,” Angus finishes. “Hah, I’d say that’s a ‘yes.’”

Taako nods enthusiastically, already shoveling the food into his mouth. Once again, it takes up almost all of his attention; once again, almost nothing exists except the food on his plate. He makes sure to notice every taste, the sweetness of the syrup and the warmth of the waffles on his tongue, and then he starts to drink down the orange juice.

“Smaller bites,” Angus reminds him. “So you don’t choke, okay?”

Taako has never cared less about anything in his life, but he makes a small noise of agreement as he chews another chunk of waffle. As he eats, he finds that he can swing his legs merrily up and down because his feet don’t touch the floor, and he hums happily.

“Is it good?” Angus asks, already knowing the answer.

“Mhm,” Taako answers nonchalantly. He’s quiet for a second, and then he says, “I wanna _live_ here.”

Angus chuckles softly again. “Well, you do right now, Taako.”

“Yes,” Taako agrees, starting to lick the fork of all its syrupy goodness. “But it’s not for long.”

Angus is cutting his waffle up into neat little pieces, getting ready to enjoy his, but he stops when Taako says this. “Why’s that, Taako?”

He’s still not fazed, though, and starting to contemplate licking the plate clean. He starts with his sticky fingers next instead, making sure to stick one at a time into his mouth and make slurping sounds. “Mm, ‘cuz it’s _always_ like that.”

“Always?”

“Yeah, it’s never very much,” he chirrups, still dedicated to coating his fingers in saliva. “It’s nice _now,_ but it’s gonna be ‘bye-bye, house.’ You’ll see.”

The adult across from him at the table is weirdly quiet, and he has a look on his face that Taako’s not used to seeing. It’s still hard to care about very much with the promise of syrup still remaining on his hands and plate. “I sure hope not,” Angus finally says quietly. “I want to prove to you that it’s safe here, but it’s okay if you don’t feel it right away.”

Having licked his hands clean, Taako goes for the plate, and as he does he shrugs his shoulders. “I like it here.”

“Good.” Angus still looks kind of sad, but he drops it and speaks up again. “I’m sorry you didn’t sleep very good, though. Nightmares are tough.”

He has no idea what Angus is talking about now. “Huh?”

The adult sees the confusion on his face. “Oh,” he realizes. “You don’t remember it, do you?”

Now Taako is starting to feel that familiar scared feeling bubbling up again inside, and he almost has to bite his wobbling lip to keep from crying. He turns his eyes away from the man now as they well up with tears, and his cheeks feel warm. “Uh-uh.”

Immediately, Angus’s voice softens. He’s a very smart adult to already know what’s going on, Taako thinks. “Oh, Taako,” he says gently. “Buddy, it’s okay that you don’t remember. Don’t worry. Sometimes that happens.”

“I don’t know.” Taako is using one of his quietest voices now. “I don’t know, Angus.”

This is when the tears come, falling in thick streams down his face. He just feels so confused and upset right then that it’s all that can happen, and he’s not even focusing on the food anymore.

“Hey,” Angus says, and soon Taako can tell he’s moved over to his side of the table. “Hey, I know it’s a lot right now. I know.”

Somehow this makes him cry even more and worse, and his little chest starts heaving with sobs. “I don’t,” he wails. “I don’t know! I don’t _know!!_ ”

“Taako, it’s okay. You don’t have to. You’re doing just fine.” Even though Angus is being warm and comforting, he’s careful not to touch the boy, and this is a good thing.

“D’you really mean it?”

“Of course I do! You’re doing great. And you know what?”

Taako’s risking a glance back at him now, rubbing the tears from his eyes. “W-What?”

“I think you’re really brave.”

This is enough to get him to really look again at Angus, equal parts suspicious and believing. “Really?” He’s paying close attention to the man’s face now, trying to see whether or not this guy is telling the truth.

“Yeah,” Angus confirms without a second thought, smiling slightly at him. “Really.”

“Wow,” says Taako for the second time today.

He just sits with that idea for a moment, that he’s brave. He knows what brave people are like because _everyone_ knows that. They win the story, they get the treasure, and everyone loves them because they’ve faced such frightening things. That much is obvious. But this is the first time, _maybe_ probably, that anyone has used something like that to refer to _him._ This time, Angus sees him as the brave one.

It’s a lot to process.

He also tries to think about how smart Angus is, though. He doesn’t always know what to think about this man because he’s still practically a stranger, but what he _does_ know is that he’s very smart, probably smarter than anyone Taako has ever known in his entire life. He can’t read any of the words, but he knows already that Angus has so so many books. Smart people read books, probably. Smart people don’t touch him or his food. Smart people are nerds like with the glasses.

He probably knows what he’s talking about, Taako decides.

“Okay,” he finally agrees.

“Okay,” Angus agrees too. “Is it okay if I give you a hug now?”

Taako gives it some serious thought. “If it’s a little one.”

“Okay. C’mere.”

It’s a very good hug, and it’s very quick, just how Taako likes it. He nearly catches himself smiling at it, the little gap in teeth showing, but Angus is the one that ruins it this time.

“Oh, boy. Yikes.” Taako tenses up slightly when Angus pulls away, worried he’s done something wrong. “You’re really sticky, little guy. We gotta get you a bath.”

Okay, well, that’s not wrong. It’s just syrup. “Oh.”

He thinks about it, the idea of taking a bath. He probably has before, but something inside of him can _tell_ he doesn’t like it, and once again he thinks about running. This time, though, something clicks inside his head, and he smiles real wide. “Gotta catch me.”

“What?”

“Gotta _catch_ me first,” he giggles and then shrieks, grabbing the umbrella and then dragging it with him clumsily as he takes off running. He doesn’t know his way around this house, and part of him worries that he might get in actual trouble again, but it’s better than doing exactly what this person wants all the time.

He looks behind him briefly to see Angus completely befuddled. “Taako. _Taako!_ You get back here, you little scamp!” Now he’s running after him, and he’s not making the worst time.

Taako sticks his tongue out at him before he comes to a couch and climbs it effortlessly, reaching the very top of the cushions and trying to balance. It’s tricky with the umbrella,  but he tries to hold it up slightly to make it easier. “ _Never!_ You can’t make me!”

“You’d be surprised!”

“No, I wouldn’t! You can’t make me, you can’t _catch_ me!” The little boy is almost singing, now, and he can’t remember the last time he had this much fun. “You’re too slow, you can’t catch me!” He leaps off the couch and keeps running, not even tripping up in the least.

“What if I were a _big ol’ nasty ogre?_ ” Angus asks from behind him. “Would you think I couldn’t catch you _then?_ ”

Just like that Taako skids to a stop, eyes wide. “ _Ooh,_ ” he says.

This changes everything. He even turns around to face Angus now, only he’s not Angus anymore. Now, Taako can see he’s a big ol’ nasty ogre just like he said he was, and he tries to remember how brave he is.

“That’s _right!_ ” Angus bellows. “I’m _big_ and I’m _blue_ and I’m _coming to get you!!_ ”

“Nu-uh!”

“Yeah huh! And the only way you can stop me is if you can get my treasure.”

“ _Treasure?_ ” This story is only getting better and better. Taako is absolutely enchanted, having almost completely forgotten about the bath. Baths aren’t interesting to him anymore anyway. “Where _is_ it?”

“You’ll have to come closer to see,” Angus says in a deep ogre voice.

“No!” Taako protests, backing up a little. “I won’t!”

“Oh, that’s fine,” Angus says, and there’s a glint in his eye that Taako doesn’t quite like. “It won’t matter, ‘cuz there're two other ogres right near you anyway.”

This comes as a surprise to the boy, who whips around and looks frantically for them. “What? No, there isn’t!” A second later he whips back around, smirking. “You can’t trick me like that, dummy. I know you’re lying.”

“ _Do_ you?”

“Yeah, ‘cuz if there were any other ogres--”

A thought occurs to him and he stops short. “They’d be red and green.”

“...Yeah, let’s roll with that,” says Angus, briefly breaking character.

“But I’m _not_ scared of you, ‘cuz you’re the _babiest._ ”

“Are you _sure?_ ”

“Yeah! You’re just a big _baby,_ you _baby._ ”

“Then getting my treasure should be easy,” Angus tells him with that look still in his eyes. “After all, you _are_ the bravest.”

“I _am?_ ” This is the best thing he’s heard all day.

“You bet you are,” Angus grumbles in his ogre voice. “You’re Taako, the bravest of all. Only you can get my treasure from me.”

“Whoa,” he gasps.

“Yup.” Angus is smiling now, but an ogre wouldn’t do that, so Taako ignores it. “So what do you think? Are you up for the task, little guy?”

Without even thinking, Taako faces him head on. “Pfft, yeah, ‘cuz I’m so brave!”

“Okay, then!” Now it’s Angus’s turn to smirk at him. “Prove it.”

With that, Taako does something he hasn’t done since the time with the black glass. He opens the umbrella, and in this moment it’s not an umbrella at all. In this moment it’s something magic, a wand probably, and he struggles to hold it steady and upright in front of him, but that’s exactly what he tries to do as he runs.

“Oh, no,” Angus exclaims dramatically. “Not the umbrella!”

Taako only howls and giggles as he tries to run up to and around Angus, arms already getting tired. He makes little _pew_ sound effects for the umbrella so Angus knows what it is in-between absolute giggles, and Angus pretends like he’s been hit a few times and makes a few grabs for him. Every single time he evades him, and soon he can hear Angus--the ogre Angus--panting for breath.

“Whew, Taako, I’m impressed. You’re a quick little thing, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” Taako shouts back enthusiastically, even though he’s never thought about it. “That’s why you can’t _never_ ever, _never never,_ ever never _ever catch m_ \--”

He trips, and like that it’s all over. “Oops.”

Just like that, Angus growls and scoops him up with both arms, and the umbrella drops to the floor as he starts to tickle Taako. The little elf giggles horribly and starts to protest loudly. “No, no, _noooo!!_ That’s not _fair! Stop it!_ ” But he’s smiling so wide and wiggling around in his arms.

“Sorry, Taako,” says Angus in a regular voice. “These are ogre rules.”

“Noooo, _noooo!!_ ” He’s dissolved into laughter, bath and treasure all but forgotten. “Stop it, stop it! Stop it, Angus!”

“Only if you take a bath! Ogre rules.”

“No! I won’t do it, I won’t!”

“Guess I have to keep tickling you, then.”

He shrieks in delight. “No!! Stop it, Angus, stop it _now_ \--”

Suddenly, there’s a burst of fire. Taako’s screams are suddenly something very real, and Angus is quick to hold him tight in his arms and duck to miss the blast. Just like that, Taako is quivering, and even Angus is a little bit shaky as he protects them both and then slowly sits up with him.

He can’t even talk at first, absolutely _clinging_ to Angus’s shirt with his shaky little hands. Both of them are silent as they try to process what just happened, and Taako keeps looking at Angus for reassurance but he’s staring off into the distance. “Angus,” he tries, tugging on his shirt. “What _was_ that, Angus? Angus?”

It takes a second, but Angus snaps out of it, looking back at Taako. “Are you okay, Taako?” He asks, still kind of dazed.

“What _was_ that? Angus!”

“I--I’m not sure, little guy,” Angus admits, sounding more like himself and holding Taako even closer. “But I don’t think that’s a regular umbrella…”

Taako blinks and stares at it, this thing he’s been dragging around for so long, this thing that provides him with so much comfort. It’s not making weird fire at them both anymore, and it looks exactly like the normal red umbrella it did before.

“Umbrellas don’t do that,” Taako remarks. He hopes his is paying attention.

“Nope.”

When the sprinkler system comes on, Angus decides that counts as a bath.

That, at least, is a relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess that wraps up chapter two! Hopefully it's still okay. I'm really kind of intimidated by the amount of attention this has gotten so far, but it's all been so positive, and I really thank all of you guys from the bottom of my heart. I've never experienced anything like this before. I'm kind of glad I got this up before the finale, at least. Good luck getting through it!


	4. Chapter 3

Angus still has to change into some dry clothes, though, and he insists on changing Taako into clothes that aren’t dripping with sprinkler water too.

“It’s just _water,_ ” Taako points out with hair and clothes soaked, dripping from head to toe.

“Wouldn’t you feel more comfortable in nice, warm dry clothes? You can wear some of my old ones.”

The little elf frowns severely, making a pouty face even as his own wet hair falls over his eyes. “Nobody changes ‘cuz of water,” he says this wisely enough that he’s sure to get Angus to see his way. “That’s for dumb babies. It dries in a little.”

“You’ll _like_ my clothes, though, I promise. I wore them when I was a little boy like you.”

Taako’s still skeptical, and his hair is still all floppy and wet. This is not his favorite time of the day so far, and it’s all his umbrella’s fault. Stupid umbrella had to go shooting fire at stuff instead of being for rainy days like _normal,_ and now he’s in wet clothes and waiting for Angus to change, sitting on the floor of his room and looking around.

There’s not much that he hasn’t seen already. There’s the bed like a mountain, the books with words he can’t read, but right in front of him is something strange that he didn’t get a peek at before. It’s the room across from where he woke up, so he’s seen most of it, but he hasn’t seen this mirror before, and it spooks him a little bit.

He can’t really say why.

“Hey, Angus,” he speaks after a moment. “Are you almost done?”

“I sure am,”  he confirms as he steps out of the bathroom. Taako is busy trying to avoid the mirror and pick at the carpet. “How do I look?”

This is enough for Taako to risk a glance upward, and he’s almost immediately disappointed. Angus is wearing an outfit very similar to the last one, and he wonders whether or not the adult ever changes into more interesting clothes. “Like Angus. Except blue colors.”

“Well, that’s a good thing.” Angus beams at him, adjusting the little bow around his neck in the mirror. “I _like_ blue colors.”

Taako shrugs his little shoulders, moody now.

“Aw, c’mon,” Angus squats down to his level again. “You’re not really _that_ worried about the clothes, are you?”

Immediately the little one bristles, scowling up at him. “No!” It’s not easy for a little boy to keep an act up like this when he feels something so strongly, though, and he drops it pretty fast. “But I don’t wanna look like Angus.”

“You don’t?”

“No,” he murmurs, picking at the carpet some more. “I wanna look like _Taako._ ”

“Oh,” says Angus, realization flashing in his eyes. “I see. You’ve probably been wearing your own clothes for awhile now, huh? It’s important to you.”

Taako’s face is glum as he risks a glance up. “...Maybe.”

“Oh. Hm.” Taako can see he’s hard at work now, thinking of solutions, and he knows that Angus must think of everything. That’s just the way he is, after all. “Well, okay, how about this. How about you come up to the attic with me and we can pick out something _together?_ Just for now. And then, in a few days, we can take you shopping for some _brand new clothes_ of your own.”

At this, Taako perks up, eyes wide with disbelief and awe. “Brand _new_ clothes? Really?”

“Sure! Why not.” Angus shrugs his shoulders now, grinning. “You’ll probably need June to come along, though -- I don’t know much about dressing outside of my style, and you don’t seem to like that.”

“It’s boring.” Taako’s blunt, to be sure, but he’s also distracted. He can’t recall whether or not he’s been shopping before, or whether or not he’s even worn any other clothes, and it’s such an _exciting_ thought somehow. He’s very attached to the clothes he’s been wearing this whole time--they’re _his,_ and he knows that for sure--but to look for something _new_ will be so different in a way that he might like.

He doesn’t even notice the sheepish look on Angus’s face. “You really dislike it _that_ much, huh?”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Taako waves it off nonchalantly. “It’s fine for _you,_ Angus. But bad for me, Taako.”

“I see.” Angus takes another look in the mirror and grins slightly. “Well, it looks just fine to me, for me, so let’s head on up to the attic!”

“Okay,” Taako says warily, still perking up slightly at Angus’s enthusiastic tone.

“Follow me,” says Angus, and the little elf does.

They go down one of the hallways and Taako notices a string. He’s never seen the string before, and when Angus pulls at it to reveal a set of stairs upward he’s almost intrigued. He doesn’t think he’s ever been in an attic either.

“Watch your step,” says Angus, and they both climb up. Taako literally casts his eyes downward and looks at his feet, careful not to make a single misstep. This is pretty easy, in truth, but it’s probably more exciting if he pretends it isn’t. He’s guided up, and then Angus lights a candle.

Taako immediately starts to feast his eyes on it all. If these things are as old as Angus says they are, they should at least be slightly dusty, but he’s not finding that to be the case at all. Just like Angus eats his waffles so neatly and keeps the rest of the big house so clean all the time, so is everything neatly sorted into different boxes and spick and span. Taako can’t read any of the words on the boxes, so he just tries to take little peeks as he follows Angus through the space.

“Oh,” he notices as he peers into a box to find little round glasses with sticks at the end. “It’s just like the picture.”

“Oh,” echoes Angus, “you must mean my ‘Caleb Cleveland’ poster! Those are called magnifying glasses.”

“There’s a _lot_ of ‘em,” Taako notes.

“Mhm.”

“What’re they for?” He’s already going to grab one, unable to keep his little fingers off of anything. His curiosity is too peaked for him to exercise any restraint, and as he starts rummaging through the box, the glass makes _‘clinking’_ noises.

Angus winces. “They’re for detectives like me,” he explains anyway. “When we need to see things up close, like footprints or fingerprints, they come in handy. You can touch them, but be _very_ careful, okay?”

Taako is almost too interested to be careful, but he tries his best when he locates a handle of one he likes to start pulling it out slowly and softly. “Okie doke,” he agrees. “I didn’t know it was _real detective stuff._ ”

“Yeah! Detectives like me use ‘em all the time.”

“ _Ooh_ ,” he gasps, putting it up over his eye. Everything in front of him seems to get bigger, and he tries to aim it at everything all at once, only really stopping when he peers over at Angus. He giggles slightly. “Angus, you look so _silly._ ”

“Do I?” He thinks Angus is maybe smiling, but he’s so distorted and funny that it’s hard to tell. “Remember to be so, so careful.”

“Pfft, I am! Do you just look at everybody with this _all the time?_ ”

Angus chuckles softly. “Not really, no. It’d be funny if I did, though.”

“Why not? It’s so great!” He moves even closer. “I bet if I got up high enough, I could see up your _nose._ ”

“Up my nose, huh? Is that what you want? To see my _boogers?_ ”

This is a word Taako would never expect his more serious companion to use, and his surprised giggles are loud. “ _Yuck_ , Angus! Don’t be _gross!!_ ” He backs up a little now, to indicate that he’d really rather not do this, and as he does he almost backs into another box. This one doesn’t _‘clink’_ like the box full of magnifying glasses, so he knows it won’t bother Angus if he whips around real fast to look at it up close.

“Hey, you found a good one!” Angus sounds pleased, making his way over in that direction.

For a moment Taako’s heart flutters with anticipation, but he’s almost instantly disappointed. “Oh,” he says. “It’s just more books again. Don’t you have like a kajillion of these already?”

He’s already bored.

“Well, yes,” Angus admits. “I do have a whole lot of books. These ones are different, though. These are what I read when _I_ was a kid.” He’s starting to rifle through the books a little bit now. “I wonder if I could read any of these to you sometime…”

“Pff, no _way,_ ” Taako protests. “Books are boring.”

“Has anyone ever read you any stories, Taako? Do you remember?”

For some reason, he starts to feel vaguely uncomfortable and defensive. “ _No,_ ” he insists, even though he’s not really sure. “Because I _hate_ it.”

“Whatever you say, Taako,” says Angus patiently, but he picks out a book and sets it aside anyway. At least it’s not as big as the ones he keeps on the bookshelves in the main house, and it does have pretty bright colors and a picture on the front. He loses Taako’s attention entirely anyway, and the boy continues exploring and looking for better things.

Angus is the one to find the next box, though. “Oh, here we go! This is _just_ what I was looking for.”

He seems pretty excited, so Taako’s quick to dart over there, magnifying glass in tow. “What? What is it, Angus?”

Again, when he spies what it actually is, he’s less than impressed. “Angus, these are just the same clothes but small.”

“Yeah,” Angus admits, looking slightly embarrassed. “But they’re different colors. Maybe you can find something you like. And I don’t wear this kind of hat anymore, so that’s _kind_ of different, right?”

“Mm…” To Taako’s credit, he tries to at least look at the different colors and hats in the box. They’re all the same checkered and plaid patterns that he’s seen Angus wear already, but some are purple and some are blue and some are yellow and green. The bowties aren’t any different either, and the hats just aren’t his thing. “I dunno, Angus, this is all kind of--”

Suddenly, his fingers grasp something made of a different material, and he notices the faint hints of something different crumpled up underneath all the other stuff. “What’s _this?_ ” Immediately, he starts plucking clothes out of the box and tossing them to the side, uninterested in any of it.

“Um, Taako, _maybe_ don’t do that. I can get the clothes out for you--”

But Taako’s already thrown most of the clothes into a messy heap on the floor, and his attention is on what he now understands is a crumpled hat unlike all the others. He’s been disappointed by everything but the magnifying glass in this attic so far, but when he takes this hat out of the box, he’s almost in awe. “ _Wow._ ”

It’s the best hat he’s ever seen, he decides as soon as he gets a good look at it. Unlike all the other hats with kind of roundish caps, this one is pointed. It feels nice and soft to the touch, it’s a deep blue (almost black), and the brim is nice and wide. His _favorite_ thing about it, though, is that there’s a little star on the end, and he flicks it with his fingers and grins.

“Oh, boy.” Angus sounds less than thrilled, which Taako doesn’t understand because this hat is so awesome. “You found _that_ old thing, huh?”

The boy’s quick to put it on, still feeling the different creases and points it has as he does. It’s still a little big for his head, and it falls slightly over one eye, but he adjusts it without any problems. “Why don’t you wear _this_ one?” The big brim gives him enough room to feel like he can hide under it, and he appreciates feeling so mysterious and safe. He’s still flicking the little star. “It’s _way_ better.”

Angus laughs at the way it keeps sliding down and won’t quite fit. “Well, it doesn’t fit me anymore.”

“It fits _me_ _perfect,_ ” Taako tries to tell him, even though they both know it’s not true.

“Does it now?” Angus asks, humoring him.

“Mhm,” says Taako, still fiddling with it slightly. “Anyway, you could’ve just got a big one for grownups. So why not?”

“Wow,” Angus says, bending down now to pick all the clothes that Taako’s thrown haphazardly everywhere up and put them back in the box. The elven boy watches as he folds every single shirt and pair of pants carefully before setting them back in. “Maybe _you_ should be the detective, Taako. Pretty soon you’ll put me out of a job!”

He doesn’t quite know how to feel about this. He doesn’t really want to take Angus’s job from him, and something about it feels wrong. “Prob’ly not,” he finally decides after a moment of thinking it over. “Your magnifying glass is prob’ly way bigger.”

“True enough.” Angus admits. “Anyway, um. Now that I’m a detective, I don’t need it. The hat, I mean. But I got it because when _I_ was little, I kind of wanted to be a wizard.”

“A _wizard?_ ” This is so surprising that Taako all but forgets to keep the hat from covering one eye. “Like with magic?”

“You bet.”

“That’s so _cool._ ”

“You think?”

“Yeah! Bein’ a wizard is best for _sure._ ”

“Well, I decided I’d rather be a detective, and that’s how I help people,” says Angus, and he sounds so assured and unashamed. “But maybe someday, _you_ can be a wizard if you want.”

This has never occurred to the young boy before, and his ears perk up with interest. “ _Really?_ ”

“Why not? You’ve already got the hat, after all. And you can be anything you want to be!”

Taako thinks this over very seriously and decides that Angus is right. With a hat this pointy and a brim this wide, he’s practically already halfway there, and he can’t help but imagine what fun it would be to use magic. He could turn everything into candy and eat it all. He could make himself run the fastest, fastest than anyone ever had, and play wonderful games. He could always change colors of his clothes to make them look brand new, so he wouldn’t _have_ to wear Angus’s boring detective clothes. The possibilities are endless, and he’s lost in reverie.

Something occurs to him.

“Wait a minute,” he says after a moment of silence. “Does this mean I get to keep the hat?”

“Yes, Taako. That’s what it means.”

He’s so excited he can’t stop smiling, and his smile only widens when Angus informs him that he can take a magnifying glass with him, too (as long as he is _so, so_ careful and gentle with it, of course). Of course, he knows that wizards probably don’t use magnifying glasses, because that’s for detectives, but he figures maybe he can be the first as he tries to run with excitement over to the stairs.

“There’s just one catch,” Angus adds.

Taako narrows his eyes from beneath the hat. He likes to imagine this makes him look intimidating as he turns around. “What?”

“You have to wear my clothes today. You can pick the colors, and you can wear the hat, but you have to change out of those wet clothes and into some dry ones. Okay?”

“They’re not even _wet_ ,” Taako tries.

“Taako.” The adult’s voice is a little sterner than usual, and Taako knows he can’t argue with it.

“Okay,” Taako agrees, but he’s reluctant. “But nobody can take my hat.” He’s gripping onto it protectively now, as though he’s afraid that someone is going to snatch it right off his head, but Angus only smiles at him in that reassuring way he does too often.

“Nope, nobody can. That hat’s _yours_ now, bud.”

“Okay,” he agrees again. These are fair terms.

As Angus helps him down the stairs, Taako feels like a real wizard.

When they’re back in the regular house, things seem a little more rushed, but he has other things on his mind. He eyes his umbrella, right on the floor where they’d left it, and circles it carefully. He still wants to take it with him wherever he goes, but he can’t explain why, and he’s a little bit afraid of it right now.

“Angus,” he tries meekly, staring at it.

Angus is talking into a slab of stone. “Yeah, Junebug, sorry I’m running late. There was a little… ... _incident_ here at home.” He’s eyeing the umbrella now, too, and Taako can tell he’s not sure what to do with it either.

“An incident?” A voice crackles from the stone. “Is everything okay?”

“I… ... _think_ so? I--I mean, neither of us is hurt.”

A sigh of relief comes from the other end. “Well, _that’s_ good, at least. What happened?”

For a second it looks like Angus forgets to respond. He’s just looking at Taako’s umbrella, and his eyes look far away.

“Angus,” Taako tries again, tugging on his pant leg.

“Angus,” tries the yellow June lady’s voice.

“Hm?”

“Can I t--”

“You seem mighty distracted.” June interrupts him. “In that _way_ of yours. What’s on your mind, sugar?”

“Sorry.” Angus apologizes, but his voice is still as far away as the look on its face. “Uh, listen, I’ll explain when I get there. Do you think you can work on getting a hold of Leon and letting him know I’m gonna require his services?”

“You know I can.”

“Great. You’re the best, June.”

“Likewise. See you soon?”

“Yup. We’ll be right there.”

“ _Angus,_ ” Taako tries again, tugging even more forcefully on his clothes.

Evidently, the adult’s conversation with a rock is over, because now he’s paying attention. “What is it, little guy?”

“Can I bring my umbrella?” He still hasn’t touched it.

“Sure you can, Taako,” says Angus. “We’re gonna need it today.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re gonna find out why it shot a fireball.” Angus’s voice sounds so determined in a way Taako’s never heard before, and he almost feels better about the whole thing. This is the look of the heroes of the story, the triumph, the good end. “But first, let’s get you in those dry clothes.”

Taako wrinkles his nose. “Aw, okay.”

He tells Angus he wants the blue ones to go with his hat, and the only thing that makes him feel better as he stands in front of the mirror with these dorky clothes on and Angus straightening his bowtie is the hat itself, something uniquely Taako. He can tell, even though the rest doesn’t fit, that this is just one piece of him that does, and it’s good enough for now.

“Wow, Taako,” Angus compliments him. “I think that looks pretty damn good. Shit, I mean--dang, and then I just said shit which is totally inappropriate--”

“I don’t care about swear words, Angus.” Taako says.

“Oh, okay. That’s good.”

He’s still terrified of his reflection, but for a moment he can imagine himself as an abstract, as Taako the Wizard even if it’s make-believe, and it looks okay. It looks the way Taako should look and no one else, and that eases his mind some, even though he doesn’t understand why. He doesn’t see the boy in the glass in Phandalin, and he doesn’t see vague reflections that haunt him. He just sees Taako, and that's it.

“It _is_ good,” Taako says, seeing a future for maybe the first time. “It is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...well, here's this chapter! sorry it took awhile--lots of life stuff going on (i have a dog i'm going to train to be my service dog!). um, i hope it was worth the wait. thank you all SO much for reading and being so consistently kind and appreciating it. i can't express how thankful i am (even though i always do in the comments LMFAO).  <3 y'all are the best.


	5. Chapter 4

“Are you sure about this, Angus? Leon says we should rule out sorcery first.”

“I’m  _ positive, _ June. He hasn’t exhibited any other magical qualities that I’ve seen. It’s not the kid; it’s the umbrella.”

“Hard to believe,” says June, glancing at it. “It looks so  _ normal. _ ”

“Trust me -- we were shocked too! Weren’t we, Taako?”

“Mhm.”

They’ve met up with June to take a wagon now, and he’s feeling uneasy and jittery. He’s sitting in Angus’s lap and finding it surprisingly comfortable, but he won’t stop clinging to Angus at every opportunity, especially when they hit little bumps in the road. Taako’s never been on a wagon before, at least not while he’s awake, and he doesn’t know what to expect from it. 

Something about it makes him so nervous.

“You doing okay, sweetheart?” June asks for probably the thousandth time.

“I dunno,” he says, too nervous to be anything but honest.

At this, Angus hugs him even closer, and he buries himself slightly in his chest. This makes him feel a little better, but he keeps squirming uncomfortably, and he’s already asked them a million questions about the horses pulling the wagon along. He doesn’t know why, but he keeps worrying about that, no matter how much they reassure him that everything seems to be fine.

“Sorry we have to do this, bud. I know it’s already been so much.”

He’s not even taking in the sights around him, clinging so much to Angus that the man swears there’ll be claw marks embedded in him by tomorrow. With his ear pressed up against Angus’s chest, he can sort of hear his heartbeat, making a kind of reassuring and ever-present  _ thump-thump.  _ His breathing has a sort of pattern to it too, and at the very least, Taako tries to feel safe and warm.

His hat’s sliding off, though.

“Angus,” he tries to verbalize, whining slightly. “My  _ hat. _ ”

“I’ve got it, don’t worry,” Angus reassures him, holding him with one hand and adjusting the hat on Taako’s head with the other. “You’re doing  _ so well, _ Taako. Isn’t he doing great, June?”

“My stars, yes. I’m awfully impressed.”

This doesn’t mean very much to him right now because he just wants off this wagon. He hasn’t even looked at June since they embarked, and he won’t let her touch him at all. That privilege has been solely regulated to Angus, who’s the only one he can ever trust with something like that so far. June has a nice voice, but today she’s not wearing yellow, and it bothers him somehow.

To get him into the wagon, they gave him some candy. They said he’d get more when the ride was over, and it was just too tempting for him to resist. Angus was fairly upfront about being apologetic, at least; he’d said ‘sorry’ at least a hundred times, and June kept checking in to make sure he was comfortable, but they wouldn’t let him off. So here he sits now, feeling the earth move somewhat beneath him and around him, clutching the detective like nothing else matters.

“Are we  _ there _ yet?” His voice is miserable.

“Almost. It’ll be over before you know it, I promise.”

“Mmkay.” He doesn’t know if he believes this, but he has no other options.

“Until then, do you wanna play a game? Sometimes that helps me.”

This is the only thing that’s gotten him to release his hold on Angus for a few seconds, and he tilts his head curiously. “Um,” he says, and then he’s spooked again by a slight bump in the road. “ _ What _ \--what kind of game is it?”

Curiosity still gets the better of him. The man smiles at this.

“It’s one of my  _ favorites _ from when I was little.” Angus confides in him like it’s a well-kept secret between them, and it makes Taako feel special. “June knows how to play, too. It’s called ‘I Spy.’”

“‘I Spy?’” He risks a glance over at June to see what she must think of it. The significance of this isn’t lost on her, and she straightens up and tries to smile her very warmest as he gives her careful consideration. “Is it fun?”

“ _ I _ certainly like it,” June reassures him.

Taako still isn’t sure what to think. “Are you sure? Angus thinks  _ books _ are fun.”

He grimaces and sticks his tongue out in disgust. They both laugh at this, and he doesn’t understand why, because it’s such a real concern. When the laughter dies down, Angus is the one to respond and reassure him that no reading is involved. A quick glance at June seems to confirm this, so he decides he’ll take the bait.

“Okay,” he agrees with hesitance, clinging still to Angus. “How do I play?”

“Here. I’ll show you. I spy with my little eye--”

“Your eye’s not  _ that _ little,” Taako scoffs incredulously.

“‘Course not, but that’s how you play.”

“Why?”

“Just ‘cuz. I spy with my little eye--”

“‘’ _ Cuz’  _ isn’t a very good reason, Angus.”

“No, I suppose it isn’t.” Angus admits. “Okay, then. I spy with my  _ regular _ -sized eye something… ...red.”

“Okay,” says Taako, nearly satisfied. “Now what?”

“Now you guess what it is, silly.”

“But what if there’s more’n one red thing?” He asks. “Also,  _ you’re _ the silliest!”

“You think so?”

“Yeah!”

“You might be right about that.” Angus affords him this small victory, and it’s enough for now. “But tell me what’s red.”

“Pfft,” he scoffs. “This is  _ easy. _ My  _ umbrella, _ duh!”

“What else?”

“Not ‘what else,’” Taako argues. “I  _ won!  _ Fair ‘n’ square.”

“That wasn’t what I spied, though.”

“Too bad. I did! So I win.” He turns to the lady June for backup, even though he’s still not quite sure about her yet. “June  _ knows _ I won. I can tell.”

June sits up so straight again, aware that she’s the focus of attention. “Now, hold on,” she says, laughing. “I’m not  _ gettin’  _ involved in this one. You boys are both so stubborn.”

Taako huffs a little, feeling mildly betrayed, and then he turns his attention back to Angus right quick. “What’s that mean, Angus?”

“It means you have to tell me what else is red.”

“ _ Ugh. _ ” He scowls. “June, can you tell him that’s not  _ fair-- _ ”

He stops, and it suddenly dawns on him mid-pout. Everyone can tell he’s figured it out because his sour expression has turned into something much more pleasant. “It’s her  _ dress! _ ”

“Very good, Taako!”

“That’s exactly right, sugar.”

“Before you wore yellow,” he informs her. “But today you wore red.”

“Mhm, and you went and figured it out. That was very smart.”

“I know,” he agrees. “I’m good at this game.”

“You sure are.” Angus thinks so too, and that’s what matters the most because Angus is smart. Angus can tell when other people are smart too, probably, and can spy things the best of all. He straightens his hat a little on his head and beams with pride at his own cleverness. “Now what do  _ you _ spy?”

“Oh, really? Me?”

“You bet. Lay it on me, bud.”

“Oh. Hmm.” This is so important. Taako tries hard to concentrate on all the surroundings. He has to be careful to come up with something that Angus’ll never guess, not in a million years. “I spy with my eye… ...something… ...um.”

Another bump in the road. Taako’s little hands grasp frantically for Angus’s shirt. “I spy something  _ big ‘n’ dumb ‘n’ stupid ‘n’ I hate it!! _ ” He’s almost near tears now, and Angus tries to soothe him and hold him close again, telling him that he’s just fine.

“It’s okay, Taako. We’re safe. I promise.”

“It’s  _ this, _ ” he whines softly. “I  _ hate _ it.”

“I know. We’ll be there soon. And then you get candy, okay?”

“‘kay,” he reluctantly agrees.

Next, it’s June’s turn to say what  _ she _ spies, and when Taako calms down enough he studies her intensely. Even though she says she likes this game and it’s a fun thing to do, he kind of worries that she might not be able to Spy as good as Angus does. He’s still not all that sure about her, and she can probably tell, because she takes a good look around and thinks about it. “I spy… ...hmm.”

“Do you spy with your  _ eye? _ ” He asks warily.

“Of course I do, sugar. What else?”

“Okay.”

“I spy with my eye… ...someone who looks  _ real dashing _ in his hat.”

“June! That one’s  _ easy. _ ” He scoffs.

“Is it?”

“Yes,” he huffs. “It’s  _ me,  _ Taako, of course!”

Just for a moment, something occurs to him, and he pauses and narrows his eyes. “Wait. Or it  _ could _ be Angus. Is it Angus?”

Angus’s face goes slightly red, and Taako wants to ask about it, but he doesn’t. He looks too surprised that it might be him, and the little elf’s wizard hat is  _ way  _ better than the detective’s hat anyway. So almost just as soon as he’s asked the question, he dismisses it.

“Nah, it’s me. I look  _ best _ in my hat. I’m right, huh, June?” He turns to her with the most excited grin on his face, and she laughs.

“Well, look at you! Taako, I’m sure we both wish we had your confidence. But yes, of course it’s you, sunshine.”

When she smiles warmly at him, clearly admiring his new wizard hat, Taako decides that he can trust June after all. She may be wearing a red dress today, but she’s still someone he can probably count on because she knows he looks like a real wizard and it’s good. Also, she’s close with Angus, and Angus hopefully isn’t close with anyone who can’t be trusted.

“I knew that,” he says nonchalantly, making a little “pff!” sound. “Now Angus can spy something else.”

They do this most of the way there, occasionally hitting bumps in the road that make him scared, but he finds on one occasion that he reaches for June’s hand and squeezes it instead. She knows better than to draw too much attention to it, but she lets him know that it’s always okay to rely on her, too. Every time he feels unsafe, he has these adults with him to make him feel better, but he’s still relieved when they arrive.

“We’re  _ here! _ ” He crows, and Angus is caught slightly off-guard when he’s trying already to wriggle out of his arms and the wagon as quickly as possible.

“Hold on there, buddy,” Angus tries, but he’s even more surprised to find that Taako knows how to worm his way out of his grip. Taako’s surprised too, but he pays no mind to that as he grabs his umbrella and starts running towards the building in clear sight, restless after so much sitting still. “ _ Taako! _ Get back here!”

“Oh, dear,” he can hear June say from behind him. “Taako, you little rascal!”

But he’s already almost to the door, and when he gets there, he finds he can’t reach the handle. Normally he’d be more cautious, but he has too much pent up energy now, and so he raps at the door a little more eagerly than usual. “Angus’s friend, can you open the door now? I want candy.”

There’s no response.

“Taako,” says Angus, finally catching up to him. “Leave the questions to me, okay?”

“Okay,” he agrees with no hesitance. “I just want candy.”

Angus laughs. “Of course you do, and you’ve certainly earned it. You did very good today.” June agrees even as she knocks politely at the door, and Taako feels his chest swelling with pride and his mouth watering at the promise of more candy. “Maybe there’s time for me to get it, it’s in my bag--”

But the door opens right then, and it distracts Taako long enough.

“Hey, Leon,” Angus greets this new person casually. “Thanks for seeing us on such short notice.”

“Oh, it’s no big deal as long as Mother’s not here, honestly,” says Leon, and he sounds and seems very different from Angus. His voice goes up and down in a different way, and there are a few dots scattered about his face. He wears glasses like Angus, so he must do something that’s like detective work, and he’s the first person the little boy has seen outside of the two adults he’s with so far, so even though he’s wary the elf’s ears perk up with interest.

“Who’s  _ this _ nerd?”

Angus laughs, but whoever Leon is, he doesn’t seem to find it very funny. He goes that same strange red color Taako saw in Angus’s face on the wagon when he brought up the hat, and he almost bristles at the words. “Well, um. I’m not so much a nerd, but hello. I’m Leon. Um. Is this the sorcerer kid?”

“Well, I really don’t think he’s a sorcerer,” Angus says, “but yeah. Taako, this is Leon. He helps with my work sometimes.”

“You’re  _ positive _ it’s not sorcery? ‘cuz that’s just a waste of my time.”

“I was tellin’ him, Leon,” June pipes up. “I was tellin’ him you wanted to rule out sorcery first, but he’s got it all set in his head that it’s absolutely not that, and you know how he is.”

Angus rolls his eyes, which is a kind of funny gesture that Taako hasn’t quite seen from him yet. “I know your time is  _ valuable, _ Leon, okay? I get it. Trust me, if it were the kid, I’d know and I’d tell you. It’s not the kid.”

“June,” Taako finally asks. “What’s a ‘sorcerer?’”

“Mm,” June thinks of how to best explain it. “Well, dumplin’, it’s like a wizard.”

“ _ I’m _ like a wizard! See? I have a hat and everything. Leon, look at my hat!”

Leon raises an eyebrow and looks at him in a way that makes Taako think he’s not really looking at the hat at all. “Yes, er. I guess it’s nice.”

“Well, dumplin’, but not like that. Just… ...know that ain’t you, okay?”

“Okay. Leon, June says I’m not a sorcerer.”

“Well, okay, then. I guess I just have to trust that judgment.” Suddenly Leon is right up close to Taako, and it makes the boy flinch a little bit. “This is the umbrella, correct?”

Before Taako can answer or respond, he’s going to grab it. Both June and Angus can tell this is a bad move on Leon’s part, but they’re not quick enough to protest as the teen takes it effortlessly with one hand, inspecting it closely with his glasses.

“ _ Don’t, _ ” Taako tries to grab it back immediately, standing on tiptoes and hopping to try to get it back. “Don’t touch my  _ umbrella! _ ”

“You didn’t tell him why you’re here?” Leon won’t even address him now, still holding onto Taako’s umbrella but looking at Angus. 

“Leon, he’s a little kid. I don’t think he really understood.”

“Right, that’s fair. Um. Listen, little boy.” Leon leans down a little and pats his hat, trying to be reassuring, but Taako holds onto it protectively and glowers. “The adults are gonna need to have a little  _ looksie _ at your umbrella, okay? But don’t you worry. We’ll give it right back when we’re done, ‘kay?”

Taako is still glaring, lip pouty and eyes starting to fill with tears. “Angus?”

He turns to the detective, as always, for reassurance. He gets some, and Angus promises that he’ll be getting his umbrella back soon with a smile. “We gotta know why it spat fire, remember? But it’ll be okay. He’ll give it right back.”

“Promise?”

“You know I do. I’d never lie to you, Taako.” Unlike Leon, Angus looks him straight in the eyes to make sure Taako knows he means it, and he feels reassured already. “Now you stay close by June and out of trouble, okay? She can get you the candy out of my bag.”

These terms seem fair enough, so when Taako reluctantly agrees, they step inside. It looks like a normal house at first, but Leon still tells him not to touch anything, and June fishes around inside Angus’s bag for some chocolate. She finds it eventually, just before they get to another room and go inside, and Taako’s hands and face become very sticky very fast.

“ _ Ooh, _ ” he still exclaims in awe as he drops the candy wrapper.

“Is he gonna get chocolate stains in here? Mom’ll  _ kill _ me--”

“No one’s getting chocolate stains on your carpet, Leon.” Angus sighs. “Taako, try not to touch anything, okay? June, there are some wipes in my bag if you wanna grab that for me. Thanks.”

Taako barely pays any mind to June as she wipes his face and hands, having nearly forgotten about the chocolate already. Ordinarily, it might be difficult to forget about such a wonderful piece of candy, and he’d already be asking for more, but this room gives him so much to look at. All around are different things to look at, rings and stones and weapons. He doesn’t care so much about the books, but there are a lot of those too, and especially a gigantic book on a desk in the corner of the room.

“What  _ is _ all this stuff?” He breathes.

“Not for you,” Leon answers curtly. “ _ Please, _ don’t let him touch anything.”

“We won’t. Taako, sweet pea, why don’t you just--”

But he’s tuning all the adult words out now, because he’s just found one of the most interesting things he’s ever seen, and nothing can keep him from it once he’s seen it. It’s a big, round machine with what looks like little prizes inside, and he gasps as he bolts for it at the quickest speed he can. The handle is silver and the rest is bright red, and he immediately tries turning it. “What’s in  _ here? _ ”

“Don’t  _ touch _ that!” Leon protests. “Also, you’re not even turning it the right way.”

Taako has never cared less about upsetting anyone in his entire life. “But what’s  _ in _ it?”

“Very dangerous stuff,” Leon tries to insist. “Not for little boys to play with. Angus, control your child.”

“It looks like toys,” Taako remarks, still not really listening and still trying to turn the handle.

Leon scoffs. “ _ Please. _ Those are all highly rare and dangerous magical items. As though I would collect toys! Angus, would you  _ please-- _ ”

“What’s wrong with toys?”

“Got it,” Angus says, and just like that Taako is scooped up from behind and held onto. “C’mere, little guy. I know it  _ looks _ fun, but he’s right. Those really aren’t toys for kids. We can get you some later, though, if you want.”

“Really?” Now he’s even more excited than he was before.

“Yup. If you sit and wait all nice with June, we’ll definitely get you some good toys to play with.”

“Wow! Wait.” He eyes Angus suspiciously, even as Angus sets him down by June again. “Not just books?”

“Not just books. I swear.”

“ _ Wow, _ ” Taako chirrups, and happily agrees.

For the rest of the time, June teaches Taako more fun games as Angus talks with Leon about his umbrella. He still feels really uncomfortable without it, but he tries to get over it and play a game called “Rock, Paper, Scissors” with her. She wins some of the time, but every time he wins she congratulates him, and it makes him feel special.

“ _ Umbrella, _ ” he tries to play during a turn, making his hand into a little cupped shape. “Umbrella  _ burns _ paper.”

“Is that right?”

“Mhm! I would know.  _ Mine _ burns things.”

“It… ...um, certainly does, darlin’.”

She gives him that one, and he feels terribly clever. He has to make sure again if Leon will give the umbrella back after that, and is told that of course he will, and then they move on to another game of I Spy. 

“I Spy something nerdy and  _ weird, _ ” declares Taako as loud as he can.

“Oh, dumplin’. That’s not nice,” whispers June, but she giggles a little anyway.

“It’s Leon,” he whispers back, giggling awfully.

“I know it is, baby, but--”

They both shut up as soon as Leon glances in their direction, and Taako can’t figure out whether or not he heard them as he walks over with the umbrella in hand. “Little boy--”

“My name’s Taako.”

“Taako. Where exactly did you find this umbrella?”

“I don’t know!”

“Are you  _ sure? _ ”

“He doesn’t know, Leon. Taako doesn’t remember much right now, and that’s totally okay.” Angus comes over before Leon can ask him any more things he doesn’t know the answers to. “Can’t remember much yet, but we’re working on it, huh?”

Suddenly the boy feels self-conscious, and he flushes a little as he buries his face slightly into Angus again and clings to his leg. “Mmhm.”

“Okay. I only ask because this is an incredibly unusual and powerful item for a child to have, Angus. It almost certainly belonged to a member of a certain order of wizards.”

“Wizards?” At this, Taako’s ears perk up again.

“Yes, wizards. Little boys like you shouldn’t be walking around with things like this. I’d be really careful if I were you, Angus and June.”

“We’re handling it,” Angus says almost defensively. “But that’s interesting… Did these wizards have anything to do with Phandalin, by any chance?”

“Phandalin? You’re working  _ that  _ case?” Leon whistles. “Woo boy, Angus. That’s the big leagues.”

“I know. But look, you can’t tell anyone about this.”

“Anyone? But Angus, Phandalin is like,  _ the hugest _ deal right now--”

“You heard me. Anyone, Leon.” Angus repeats with more force than Taako’s ever heard from anyone. “I mean it. Or I’ll tell your mom.”

Leon immediately scowls. “Oh, all right, fine. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Do we have your word on that?”

“Yeah. Keep me up to date, though. This is so  _ exciting! _ ”

“Okay. We will.”

“And seriously, if you need  _ anything _ \--”

“We won’t hesitate to contact you. No worries. But we’ve really gotta get going now, Leon. Lots of important shit to do.”

Taako tries to scan the room for something he can swipe without anyone noticing, and his eyes land on a ring. He figures it’s small enough he won’t get caught, and while they’re all wrapping up he goes to grab it.

“Oh, that’s  _ cold, _ ” he gasps, dropping it immediately.

When they finally take their leave and he’s been scooped up by Angus again, Taako can almost swear he hears Leon say something about never having kids under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oof, sorry this took so long! lots of travel, getting sick, and other such things getting in the way. i was gonna try to work on this for NaNoWriMo, but i don't think i'll be getting to that this year because i'll be out of town from the end of this month until the very end of November, so it might be a bit of a wait again. i'll get the next chapter up soon, though! hope this was at least somewhat worth the wait, and thank you all SO much again for your support.
> 
> also, shoutout to SailorLeo for my new icon of tiny Taako! i commissioned them for it. isn't he cute?? see you all soon.


	6. Chapter 5

There’s a person dressed as a candle in the Fantasy Costco.

It’s kind of a silly and stupid thing to focus on, but Taako’s little eyes don’t know where to start otherwise. From the moment they got here, it’s all been so much he’s never seen or heard or tasted or smelled before, and the little elf is more than beside himself as Angus and June finally take him shopping for toys of his own. 

They know it’s all a bit much, but there are three rules for him to remember.

  1. Always hold tight to someone’s hand, be it Angus’s or June’s,
  2. Don’t wander off too far! Stay within eyesight, buddy, 



and the most important rule of all:

    3. Let the adults handle the talking cat, okay?

It seems that there’s nearly just as much stuff that Taako _wants_ to touch as stuff he _can’t_ because it’ll hurt him, so that part’s frustrating. Angus knows that the glowing sword looks pretty neat and colorful, but he’s also pretty sure it’s on fire and poisonous, so hands off. June agrees that the gum looks pretty darn tasty, but it’s not regular gum, and she doesn’t quite know what it’ll do to a small elf boy his size.

But his _favorite_ thing is the samples. Apparently, Angus tells him, they’re a universal constant; no matter what Costco you go to in the whole of the multiverse, they’ll give out samples. Since this is Fantasy Costco ( _Where All Your Dreams Come True Got a Deal for You!_ Taako’s already run back and forth to hear the tune half a dozen times), some of them are samples of certain types of magic, which Taako isn’t allowed to play around with because he’s not old enough and apparently not even the _best_ wizard hat in the entire world for wizards is enough to grant him permission. But _some_ of them are actual food, and those are his favorite for sure, ‘cuz usually he can charm people into giving him a _few_ samples instead of just one.

That’s what he’s trying to do right now, but he’s _really_ distracted by the person dressed as a candle right this second. Angus apologizes on his behalf as he accidentally spills a tiny cup of soup onto the floor in excitement and starts running toward this weird candle guy, undaunted by how huge this place is or how many unfamiliar people they are.

“Hey! Taako,” Angus calls after him, “you’re supposed to hold hands with me or June, remember?”

“I got ‘im,” June says from somewhere near Taako, and she scoops him right up into her arms. “Sheesh, you’re a lil scamp and a half, huh?”

“Yes,” he agrees without even thinking about it, absolutely fascinated with this weird candle. “But take me to see the candle man, please. He’s weird.”

June laughs. “Oh, to be that young again. Okay. We’ll take you to see the Candlenights Candle in just a sec, ‘kay? Just gotta wait for ol’ Angus to catch up to us first.”

“Hff, _okay,_ ” Taako agrees with some reluctance, but even then he can’t stop squirming in her arms, and he’s relieved when Angus finally catches up and catches Taako by surprise, taking him from June and letting him ride piggyback on his shoulders.

“How’s that, Taako? Can you see him a little better?”

“Angus,” Taako gasps, looking out at everything from a brand new height, “forget the candle guy -- I can see the whole entire _world!_ ”

“I’m guessing that’s a ‘yes,’ then.” He’s starting to learn how to tell when Angus is smiling at him just from his voice, a special skill. It’s nice, because he’s also starting to realize just how _much_ he makes Angus smile, and that makes some part of Taako feel the absolute _proudest._ He doesn’t even mind sitting up here knowing that June has his umbrella, because he can see it clearly in her hand, and he’d know if somebody tried to take it.

“Angus,” he says after a moment. “Why’s he a candle?”

He laughs. “You wanna know why the Candlenights Candle is a candle?”

He thinks for a moment. “Yeah!”

“Don’t you wanna ask him yourself?”

It’s starting to dawn on Taako that they are approaching this candle guy pretty fast, and he’s not exactly sure how he feels about it. Looking around at other kids makes Taako feel weird to begin with, because they all seem to know what to do, but as they get closer he almost tries to hide in Angus’s hat and hair (without much success). His face is hot by the time they get up to the candle guy, and the candle guy just smiles.

“Well! Who’s this tall fellow?”

He pulls down his hat, suddenly not so eager to show his face. “Umm. ‘m Taako.”

“Well, hello there, Taako! I’m the Candlenights Candle. How’s the weather up there?”

“Umm.” He says sheepishly, trying to hide behind his hat some more. “I… I dunno.”

When the Candlenights Candle laughs, it’s a sort of jolly and booming sound, and if Taako weren’t so frazzled he might wonder why that’s the way a candle laughs. It makes sense, he guesses, but just because he’s never heard a candle laugh before. “That’s okay! So, Taako, what is it you want for Candlenights, my boy?”

“Umm. I. ...I dunno.” He’s still trying to hide.

“You doin’ okay, bud?” Angus tries to check in with him like usual, but it just makes him feel even weirder about everything, especially since the Candlenights Candle is right here to hear him.

“‘m fine, thank you,” mumbles Taako into Angus’s hat.

“You know, if you need to leave, you can say so. You just say, ‘Get me outta here, Angus!’ and I’ll do my best. The Candlenights Candle won’t mind.”

“Oh, no,” reassures the Candlenights Candle. “I don’t mind at all.”

“No,” Taako says. “It’s not that. I just, um. I… ...dunno what Candlenights is.”

The Candlenights Candle gasps so loudly that Taako wishes he could just disappear. “You don’t know what Candlenights is? Why, it’s only the most _magical_ time of the year!”

Now Taako feels incredibly silly for not knowing this already, especially if it’s as magic as the Candlenights Candle says it is (and he might be a little biased, but Taako still has no real reason to doubt a candle). “Oh. Well, isn’t it a little magical all the time already?”

“Of _course_ you’d say so, Taako,” the Candlenights Candle insists. “You’re a _wizard._ But not everyone is as in tune with magic as your kind, you see? So Candlenights is special to those people. But even for wizards, there’s a little _extra_ magic in Candlenights.”

“How did you know I’m a wizard?” Taako asks with suspicion.

“How did _you_ know I’m a candle?”

“Because you look like one, goofus.”

“Exactly.”

“ _Ohh,_ I get it!” Taako gasps, and now he’s completely charmed as he reaches up with one hand to adjust his hat. “People get stuff though, right? You asked me what I want.”

“Indeed they do. Do you have an answer for me now?”

“Hmm.” Taako has to think super carefully about this, because he probably only has one chance to tell the Candle what he wants, and if he messes this up who knows when the next opportunity to get something really cool from a candle will be. People can’t just say they got neat stuff from a candle every day, and he knows that because they _don’t_ say that every day anyways. “Can it be _anything_ I want?”

“You name it, kiddo.”

He’s holding up some of the line, but parents are pacifying their children, and the Candle looks so charmed by Taako that he doesn’t seem to mind or notice.

“I want home to be just the one place this time,” he finally says. “I wanna stay with Angus forever, and I don’t wanna say ‘bye-bye’ to this house too soon.”

“That’s a very nice Candlenights wish, Taako,” says the Candle, and Taako knows he did good because no one would know better about that than this guy. “I’ll certainly try my best to make sure it comes true.”

“So will I,” says Angus. His voice is smiling.

“Aw, just _look_ at you two boys. Warms my heart, honestly.” June’s voice is too, but hers is a lot of the time.

“Wait, wait! Wait. Also, I want some macarons.”

Everyone laughs. “That’s a very sophisticated dessert for a boy like you to know, Taako.”

“Yup,” he says with pride, although he has no idea why he knows what they are or wants any. “So _gimme._ ”

“You got it.”

“Oh, and um, I want new clothes ‘n’ toys too, but I guess that’s why we’re here. Oh, and--”

“Taako,” Angus finally says as gently as possible. “I think the Candlenights Candle has a lot of other children to see now.”

“Who _cares?_ ” This is so blunt that Angus laughs at him, but he’s not trying to be funny. “They prob’ly get to see him all the time, Angus! This is my _first Candlenights ever._ ”

“I’m afraid Angus is right, Taako. I have very many children to spread Candlenights cheer to today,” the Candle admits, and for one moment Taako feels the most betrayed he’s ever felt by a candle in his entire existence. “But I do have a little something special for you.”

He pulls out a candle-shaped striped peppermint candy from some kind of sack on the floor, and the elf gasps in delight and tries to lean over to get it. This is too much of a strain on poor Angus and his neck, so Angus is the one who grabs for it in the end, and gives it up to the little boy who immediately sticks it in his mouth happily.

“What do you say, Taako?”

“Oh,” Taako mumbles, almost dazed from how wonderful this tastes. “Um. ‘nk you, Mis’r Cann’le.” His mouth is full of candy and spit, and he nearly can’t talk, just slobbering all over the piece of candy he’s been given like his life might depend on it.

“No problem, Taako. I hope your first Candlenights is just wonderful.”

“Yuh-hum,” says Taako, and with that he’s ready to move onto the toys. “Buh-bye.”

“Thank you so much for your time,” Angus says, and June makes sounds of agreement.

Then they move onto the next task of buying clothes. This means that Taako has to get down from Angus’s shoulders so they can both picture what each little article of clothing is going to look like on him, and if it weren’t for the Candlenights candy, he’d probably be awfully bored. Every time he is, though, he can just zone out and find something interesting to look at, from the Candlenights lights to the Candlenights decorations to the sound of jingling bells in the distance.

He picks out some clothes for himself too, of course, and makes sure that none of them look like something Angus would wear and more like what Taako would wear. This means he picks a fuzzy sweater with rhinestones on it, a few skirts, a few leggings, and something with glitter. Nobody objects to this, because they are _his_ clothes after all, and he just figures he’s never gotten to wear anything so interesting and colorful in his whole life.

It’s still not even as good as what comes next, though.

“The _toys,_ ” he gasps with delight and tries to run for them as fast as his little legs will carry him, which means that Angus and June have to hurry to try to catch up. When he gets to the toy aisle, he can scarcely believe just how many choices await him, but his _favorites_ are by _far_ a little toy magic wand that makes lights and sound effects and a little oven for baking treats in.

“He might be a little young for that one,” Angus worries, as Taako falls head over heels in love with it.

“I’ll help ‘im out,” June promises. “Always wanted onna those as a kid.”

The last thing he picks out is a stuffed otter, which is bigger than he is. Angus laughs at the way he absolutely clings to it and refuses to let anyone else hold it, and then is surprised that Taako is so insistent that it’s _not_ an otter; it’s a mongoose, instead.

“Where’d you learn about an animal like that, Taako?”

He’s already sort of hiding behind the stuffed animal. “Is it… ...bad?”

“‘Course not, bud. That’s a real good one to pick.”

“Oh,” he says. “Okay, good. Um, I dunno, but it’s the best.”

Everyone agrees.

While they’re here, they also pick out some new kinds of hot chocolate so Taako can help in the kitchen, and some cereal ‘cuz there’s a prize inside. Occasionally, Taako will get distracted by some new and interesting magical item, and then he’ll be pulled away by Angus. This happens more and more frequently, and towards the end of the trip he’s sitting in the cart with all the stuff, still clinging to his mongoose and trying to take everything in with wide eyes.

It isn’t until they near the checkout that Angus tenses up, then curses under his breath.

“Oh, _no._ ”

“What is it?” June asks. Taako’s looking around to see what’s made him upset, too, and he’s on high alert now.

“Mavis is here with her boy,” Angus tries to whisper. “Damn. See? Up ahead. Two dwarves, one of ‘em small and holding some kinda book.”

Taako searches, and his eyes land on the smaller dwarf. “He’s got flowers in his beard,” he notes, his tone thoughtful. No one else seems to think this is as interesting as he does.

“He sure does, pumpkin.” June humors him anyway. “Aren’t they pretty?”

He nods very seriously. “Mm.”

“So what’s the plan now?”

“Let me think.” Taako can tell that’s what Angus is doing now, because that’s the serious face he always makes when he does it. “Okay, well… I didn’t wanna leave you two to deal with Garfield, but--”

An orange cat appears out of nowhere, and Taako yelps and falls back in the basket a little. “YOU _RANG?_ ”

“Shit,” says Angus, and then, “I mean, uh. Sure.”

Everyone is starting to turn in the direction of the sound of the cat’s voice, and Taako is trying to get over how startled he is to see a talking cat in real life, but he’s also too intrigued to really shy away.

“EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT. WHAT’LL IT BE TODAY? WHAT A LOVELY FAMILY. MUST BE _WONDERFUL_ TO BE A PART OF ONE OF THOSE. WARMS OLD GARFIELD’S HEART TO SEE _THAT_ KINDA BUSINESS GOIN’ DOWN IN _HIS_ FANTASY COSTCO.”

“Oh, we’re not a family,” Taako informs the cat, still studying him. “Also, how can you talk?”

“OH! AND WHO’S THIS LITTLE ONE?” The loud cat leans down to study him. “YOU LOOK _SO_ FAMILIAR. D’YOU TRAVEL A LOT?”

“Huh?”

“You have no business with the boy, Garfield,” Angus says. “Leave him be.”  
  
“SUIT YOURSELF! ONLY TRYING TO BRING A LITTLE CANDLENIGHTS SPIRIT AND JOY INTO THE LITTLE ONE’S DAY TO DAY. BY THE WAY, I DUNNO IF YOU READERS AT HOME KNOW THIS, BUT THIS CANDLENIGHTS IS WAY OFF-SCHEDULE. TECHNICALLY, AND THIS IS GOING BY THE BOOK HERE, WE HAVE TO AT LEAST HIT THE CRYSTAL KINGDOM ARC BEFORE THAT SHIT. GOOD THING CANDLENIGHTS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, HUH?? THAT'S MCELROY CANON RIGHT THERE.”

Taako has no idea what this thing is talking about.

Thankfully, it appears that no one else does either.

“Yeah, so. We’ll be taking these items for their _exact and established price,_ ” Angus says, somewhat wary. “No wits, no wagers. Just exactly what it says on the tag.”

“AW.” The cat looks disappointed. “AND NO MAGICAL ITEMS TODAY? IF SOMETHING YOU BUY IS CURSED, YOU GET A THIRTY PERCENT DISCOUNT AND AN ENTIRE CRATE’S WORTH OF KIRKLAND BRAND PEANUTS.”

“That’ll be all, thanks.”

“COOL BEANS. YOU’RE DEFINITELY A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS, ANGUS MCDONALD. COME UP TO THE COUNTER TO SEE HOW MUCH GOLD YOU OWE ME, AND THEN MAYBE YOU’LL FEEL MORE UP TO HAGGLING!”

“‘kay.” Angus is being very short with this cat. “Okay, uh. I’m gonna go up and deal with… ...this situation. You guys start making your way towards the exit, ‘kay?”

“Got’cha. See you soon, Angus.”

Taako feels slightly anxious as Angus walks away to the counter where the cat is, and he scans the horizon for the small dwarf again. Doesn’t find anything, and thankfully they start making their way towards the exit with no problems. It takes some yelling from the cat, but Angus finally emerges victorious, and ushers them out as quickly as he can.

Taako gets out of the shopping cart just to run past and hear the jingle again, so loud that everyone in the store can hear.

“FANTASY COSTCO, WHERE ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE! GOT A DEAL FOR _YOU._ ”

He loves it, but he can swear Angus groans just a little bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaand even my pet project is back in business. sorry to keep everyone waiting. things are really hectic in my life right now, but i hope i managed to pull this chapter off and make it worth your wait. thanks always, so much, for supporting me. i appreciate it more than words can ever express~ hope you all have a good time heading into this Candlenights season. ;D


	7. Chapter 6

After all the excitement at Fantasy Costco, Taako spends a lot of time bored.

Not all day every day is boring, of course; there’s still so much to enjoy about being at home with Angus, especially in the kitchen. Angus has started giving him cereal in the mornings, which is sugary and great and shaped like little loops (he likes the word “loops” and when he tells Angus so he uses it about a gazillion times). At nighttime, Angus gives him a glass of milk before bed, and he sleeps much better with the mongoose in his arms. He likes to run around everywhere with the new wand, but he makes sure to bring the umbrella along, too.

At work, sometimes June will help him bake things in his little new oven. So far they’ve mostly made brownies that aren’t very good, but it’s terrific fun, and on one occasion they have a “tea party” with little cups filled up with water. Taako loves to get June’s help with things instead of the other way around; usually, he tells her so proudly, he helps Tia Tilla in the kitchen, but this time June helps _him._ He tries often to help Angus by examining everything with the magnifying glass too, but usually doesn’t find any new clues.

Still, Angus is busier now than he was before. He spends a lot of time away while Taako sits with June, and then is so tired by the time he gets back that they both have to have bedtime. He finds that he misses Angus, and this worries him, because it means he might be leaving.

One night, he can’t sleep because of it. He hears Angus’s voice downstairs, talking very seriously to someone on the stone. He tiptoes down so quiet, ears perked up, and can’t help but get a peep at what he’s talking about.

“He’s that bad, huh?” Angus sounds… ...different. “Well, I’ll have to go then.”

Taako is wide-eyed, watching Angus pace across the kitchen, but he doesn’t dare betray that he’s there. Not yet. His eyes are fixated on the man who’s taken him in and sworn to protect him, thinking so many panicked thoughts, thinking so many things he doesn’t understand about leaving and being left. His heart is racing.

Angus sighs, like he’s tired. His head in his hands. “Tomorrow. On the Rockport Limited. Okay. No, I’m… I’m glad you told me. Thank you.”

Maybe he’s talking to June and she said he’s bad.

Taako’s mind reels, and soon he’s in full-fledged tears.

When he’s done talking on the stone, Angus seems to notice Taako. “Taako, buddy? Did you have a nightmare?” He’s trying to pretend he’s not sounding different, but Taako notices. Taako knows everything.

“You _promised,_ ” Taako seethes at him, hot tears pouring down his cheeks.

“What promise did I break, Taako?”

“You _promised_ you wouldn’t leave me,” Taako starts crying there on the stairs. “You _promised_ but I guess I’m too _bad_ so you’re _leaving_ and I’m _sorry_ that I’m bad but I _hate you!!_ ”

“Oh, Taako, no, wait--”

“I _hate_ you!!” He spits, backing up the stairs and howling. “You’re a _liar!!_ ”

“No, Taako, I’m not. No, no, no, Taako, bud, oh my gosh--no. No, I’m not leaving because you’re too bad. I’m leaving because I have to go see my Grandpa. He’s very sick. But I’d never leave you, and I actually asked if June could come along. And take care of you. We’re all going together.”

Suddenly it all makes sense. “Oh.” Suddenly he realizes his outburst. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s… It’s okay, bud. I completely understand why… ...you thought that. You okay with a hug?”

He runs into Angus’s arms and hugs him so tight, crying, and finds that Angus is crying too. They just sit and cry like that until Angus gets too cozy and Taako’s too sleepy and Angus is leading him by the hand.

“C’mon, little guy. It’s way past your bedtime.”

“‘m awake with you, Angus,” he protests, nearly tripping over a step before Angus scoops him up in his arms and carries him the rest of the way. “Look, I’m awake like Angus is. Look at that…”

He’s already dreaming, but he can feel Angus tuck him in and give him his mongoose to hold.

“Goodnight, Taako. We… ...we got a big day tomorrow.”

They do. June shows up before breakfast even, and she gives Angus a huge hug, and then Taako allows her to give him a big one too.

“Why, don’t you look so pretty in your new clothes!”

“Yes,” says Taako proudly. “I do, huh?”

“Yes, you do, sugar.”

He beams. “June, are you havin’ breakfast today?”

“No, baby. None of us are. We’re gettin’ _that_ on the train.”

“The train.” Taako’s trying hard not to be scared for Angus today, because he can just tell somewhere inside that Angus needs him not to be. But some part of him _is_ terribly scared, is staring far away for some reason, and he looks to June to know whether or not he’s okay.

“Yes, baby. The train. It’ll be okay! This one’s fancy. You can have meals or you can nap if you like.”

“Can you play games?”

“Sure you can! With us.”

“Okay.” He tries to settle the scared butterflies in his stomach.

It takes Angus longer to get ready than usual, so June sits downstairs and waits with Taako. She’s not allowed to tickle him, because his umbrella shoots fire, but they are allowed to play something called Hide ‘n’ Go Peek. June hides first, and Taako is supposed to count.

“One… ...two…. ….three… ….four… ….five… …six… ….seven.” That’s the highest he can count. “Ready or not, here I come!”

And just like that he’s off to find June, looking anywhere for the purple dress she wore today. He’s very perceptive, though, so he figures out she’s hiding in the closet _easy._

“Found you!!” He shrieks and giggles, and she swoops him into her arms and gives him a big kiss. He doesn’t mind it, actually.

“Sure did, Pumpkin. Now it’s _my_ turn to find _you._ ”

He has to be quick about this, has to figure out where to hide. He decides he’ll try to hide under the table, and he listens to her count, and then he waits. His heartbeat is doing something pretty weird, though. It’s going thump-thump- _thump_ and not in a fun way, and as he listens to her wondering where he is outside, he feels _wrong._

“Where _ever_ could that Taako be? He’s so clever.”

Wrong wrong wrong and all he can hope is that she _won’t find him_ please don’t _find him_ please don’t _find him_ please don’t _find him_ \--

“There you are!”

Taako _screams_ and bursts into _tears,_ backing away from June for reasons he doesn’t understand at all.

“What’s wrong, dumplin’? Did I scare you? I’m so sorry, Taako.”

He won’t go near her right now. He’s curling up and hugging himself and absolutely _bawling,_ and Angus comes rushing downstairs to see what’s the matter.

“Buddy? What’s goin’ on? Are you okay?” Angus looks like he hasn’t slept. He looks like he’s been crying. He’s mostly ready, though.

“I don’t _know,_ ” he wails, “and I’m _sorry._ I was trying to be not scared for you but I’m scared of the train and I’m scared when they find me and I’m _scared._ ”

And just like that, Angus moves closer to Taako and then picks him up, rubbing his back a little, rocking him just a little, petting his hair. “It’s okay, buddy. No one bad’s gonna find you now, okay? And the train’s gonna be okay.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

He promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel like this chapter's too short, and sorry if it is. sorry if it's not that great, but i recently lost my grandmother, and she was my best friend, so my head's not quite right lately. still got inspired to write this, though. still so appreciate everyone's support and love. thank you so much for everything. <3
> 
> also, you should definitely check out hysterical-random-things.tumblr.com :D they drew some ADORABLE bby Taakito's and a wonderful Dad!Angus and you should check all their art out, it's so unique and wonderful. <3 i love it.


	8. Chapter 7

Taako doesn’t quite know what he expects from the train, but this isn’t it.

He’s actually been so worried about the train ride this whole time that the ride they took to get here wasn’t so bad this time around. Angus and June both tried to distract him with games, to their credit, and one game of I Spy got particularly interesting when Angus started saying something about there being a “swamp” nearby and he got to learn about it and make up swamp monsters. But the train has been occupying so much of his dread and his thoughts all day that the wagon seemed like small fish to fry in comparison, and he’s definitely clinging to Angus’s leg as they move to get on.

The first man Taako meets on the way is friendly; he has a real smile, and introduces himself to Taako as Tom Bodett. This doesn’t do much to ease the little elf’s nerves, though, and he doesn’t even respond as he hides his face under the brim of his hat and does his best to keep moving forward.

“Sorry, Mister Bodett,” Angus apologizes like he’s met this man before, or at least someone like him. “Taako can be a little shy around new people.”

“Aw, that’s okay,” says the man, smiling warmly at him. “I’m sure he’s usually a little charmer.”

When another voice shouts at them from outside the train to “ALL ABOARD,” Taako visibly starts, his grip on Angus’s leg tightening. Angus tries to reassure him and reminds him to just keep moving, okay buddy, and they’ll be seated in a second. When he glances at June, she starts trying to point out different things to distract him, but Taako’s too busy covering up his face with his hat and keeping his little feet going, one after the other, until this is over.

He does this until they reach the entrance to someplace, and he can see a younger man than Tom Bodett up ahead.

“Oh, my,” June whispers to Angus as she sees the man’s clothes. “Not your typical uniform, is it?”

Taako can’t see what she’s talking about. It’s very colorful with big letters on it, though, and he likes it even though he can’t read. He mumbles something about that into Angus’s pant leg, and June gives him a little pat on the top of his hat whether she hears him or not.

“It’s certainly colorful, pumpkin,” she mutters. “I’ll give you  _ that. _ ”

Angus is trying not to chuckle, but Taako doesn’t really know why. It doesn’t matter, because when they actually  _ get _ to the man the detective is nothing but business, straightening his posture and preparing the tickets. The tickets, he’s explained to Taako already, are what make it so they can get on the train. It’s all a lot to take in, but Angus doesn’t seem daunted in the least.

“Tickets and weapons, please,” says the man in a  _ very _ serious voice.

“Weapons?” Taako whispers into Angus’s leg, even tenser now.

“Don’t you worry none about that, baby,” June reassures him in a hushed tone. “They only ask ‘cuz you’re not allowed to have those on the train, so it’s safe. We’re just fine.”

He’s still almost tearing up, trembling at the thought of someone bringing something dangerous on the train to hurt him, and once again he feels the urge to cut and run. This time’s different, though, because this time there’s a whole bunch of people ahead of them and behind him and he has nowhere to go. He whimpers and Angus is still too busy playing this adult who goes on trains to respond, but June tries to comfort him as best she can. His ears are drooping now, and he wants to cry.

“Oh, dang,” the man dressed in the colorful outfit says when he hears that little whimper. “Naw, little guy, listen. I was just  _ kidding. _ I mean, not about the tickets and weapons, that’s--that’s totally legit, I’m gonna need to see all of those things. The voice thing, though, that was… ...a poorly executed goof.”

Is that supposed to make him feel better? His ears droop even lower as he risks a glance at this weird guy.

“But your mom there’s right! No one’s allowed to have  _ any _ weapons on this train. Or like, most trains… ...ever, ideally. Hopefully.”

“Not my mom,” he corrects the man softly. “That’s June.”

As he says it, it occurs to him that he doesn’t know what the difference is; he only knows that there is one, and the man corrects himself so that must be true. “Oh, uh, oops,” says the man. “My bad. Well, um, anyway, I’m like--never like this and this is my first week on the job, can I start over?”

“Can I keep my umbrella, Angus?” Taako tugs anxiously on the fabric of his clothes, ignoring the man dressed in silly colors now.

“An umbrella?” The man asks. “Yeah, um, sure, little dude. I don’t really see why that’s a weapon,  _ soooo _ … You’re good.”

“Angus?” Taako repeats, tugging again. He doesn’t quite trust this other man yet.

“‘Course you can keep your umbrella, little guy,” Angus reassures him. “It’s okay.  _ You’re _ okay.”

That’s all Taako really needs, evidently, to believe that he’s actually okay. After this, he relaxes a little, enough to observe a little more about the man in front of them at least. By now he’s starting to learn that there are maybe people who would lie to him, but never Angus, and that’s good enough for him to try to trust what Angus trusts.

“No weapons on us, though,” Angus says, emphasizing it so that Taako knows it too. “But we do have our tickets.”

“Awesome,” the man says as he takes the tickets. “Lemme just take a look at those.”

When he does, the man’s eyes widen in surprise, and Taako is ready to jump or cling even more to Angus if that’s what he needs to do. “Wait a minute,  _ wow-- _ oh, oh my gosh. You’re  _ Angus McDonald?  _ Like,  _ the _ Angus McDonald? It’s--it’s such an honor to have you on board with us today, sir!! The work you do is  _ so _ incredible; I never thought they’d catch the Neverwinter Bandit, but you closed that case right up. And even when those guys’  _ fingertips _ were--”

He seems to realize suddenly that Taako is there, clearing his throat. “Uh, sorry. It’s just such a pleasure to be serving you today.”

“Aw, well uh,” stammers Angus, and Taako can tell he looks incredibly uncomfortable. “Thanks for appreciating my work so much; I’m real flattered, honestly. If you don’t mind, though, I could kind of use a little bit of discretion at this time. Work stuff, family stuff, um. You know how it is.”

“Oh,” says the man in realization. “Oh, yeah, um, I get you. No worries, sir. It’s, uh, my duty as an employee on the Rockport Limited to never violate  _ any _ passenger’s sacred trust. I’ll um,” he coughs, somewhat awkward. “I’ll just ask if you have any super special items locked up and then show you to your seats, then.”

“Uh, yeah, actually,” Angus mumbles, looking somewhat embarrassed. Taako’s ears perk up and he lifts the brim of the hat just a little. Something special? He wonders. Angus told him before the train that they had to pack a bunch of their stuff into bags ‘n’ such, to take it with them on the train, and he told him that was where most of Taako’s things would be (he refused to put the umbrella away, though; it’s in June’s free hand, like usual). But here he is, mentioning something special, without letting Taako know about it. He tries to get a peek, standing on tiptoes. “There is something I need to be  _ sure  _ gets to Neverwinter.”

“Okie doke,” says the man casually. “Not a problem, sir. Just wanna reassure you that your stuff is in what I call, uh, the ‘Juicy Caboose-y.’”

“Good grief,” whispers June.

Angus is trying to keep a straight face.

Like most stuff so far, Taako doesn’t get it. He just wants to know what’s so special.

“See, because my uniform says ‘Juicy’ on it?” He points to the bright lettering, laughing a little. “Ahaha… ...yeah, none of you are laughing with me. Anyway, it’s like,  _ super _ secure in there. They have me in the engine room at all times, so no funny business goes down. If you need to take a tour, we totally can, but we know our stuff by now, so  _ your  _ stuff is in good hands! Oh, and uh, just--just so you know, my name’s Graham. We know there are a lot of choices out there for this particular kind of travel, but we’re  _ super _ stoked you picked the Rockport Limited.”

“It’s um, no problem, really,” Angus assures the man.

“Cool, cool. So if you guys could just go ahead and follow me,” says Graham, “I can let you have your own room and pick of seating in the passenger car ‘n’ stuff. Not a very full train today.”

“During the holidays?” Angus raises an eyebrow.

“I  _ know, _ right? Those were totally my thoughts, too. It’s like, ‘What? I thought Candlenights was supposed to be  _ wicked _ crazy--’”

“Hey,” Taako interrupts right then. Something has just occurred to him. “I didn’t say my name. You know June ‘n’ Angus’s, but not mine.”

“Oh, that’s right!” The engineer says patiently. “What’s your whole story?”

Suddenly, when Graham leans down to better hear from Taako, he’s aware of just how frightening this whole situation is. He’s back to hiding underneath the brim of his hat again, barely risking a peek out of one eye at the adult in front of them. “Um,” he tries. He doesn’t quite know what to say. 

“Thanks for having me,” he finally murmurs, “on your choo-choo.”

When Graham laughs, Taako pulls the hat back down again. “Anytime, little man. Now, let me just show you guys to the passenger car, if that’s okay. Right this way.”

Taako keeps moving, view obscured as he hides behind Angus still, but he can’t help but notice that the train looks so  _ fancy. _ It’s not enough to put him at ease, but it is  _ possibly _ one of the neatest places he’s ever been. They go through the passenger car first, and he sees an elven man with a rainbow bowtie. He’d very much like to go and touch it, and to maybe see about the man in a robe a little ways back, but he’s told to keep moving and so he does, pouting a little as he goes.

There’s a dwarven lady on the way, but she looks big and powerful, and Taako stares at her with eyes wide as saucers. “Hey there, new passengers. My name’s Jess. Can I help you find your seats, or where to put your luggage?”

“You’re a  _ big _ lady,” Taako whispers in awe.

“I sure am, little one,” she says proudly. “Used to wrestle a lot in high school. Called me Jess the ‘Wress...ler.’”

“What’s that?” He asks, tilting his head to the side.

“High school or wrestling?”

Taako blinks. “I dunno.”

She blinks at him, too, then addresses Angus. “Anyway, do you wanna set your personal effects in your sleeper car? I’m your gal for that.”

“Oh, uh, yes please,” says Angus, and he hands over a lot of bags.

“Not the umbrella,” Taako says, looking at it frantically in June’s hand.

“Nope,” Angus says, “the umbrella stays with us.”

“No problem,” says Jess, and she takes the bags very easily into the sleeper car. “Um, just so you know, this isn’t the only thing I do here. I kind of just attend to your… ...needs? We have a pleasure room if you guys wanna check that out. It’s not like--” She eyes Taako. “--well, it’s family-friendly. You can go anywhere in the whole world. Well, sort of. Within reason.”

“Anywhere, huh? That sounds interestin’, doesn’t it?” June seems to think so. Taako does too, but he wonders where he would go.

“Can I go to Angus’s house in it?” He asks, warily.

“Um, well--”

“Oh, oh. Can I go to  _ Leon’s _ house in it and he can’t be mad about me touchin’ the toys?”

“I… ...don’t know what that is, I’m sorry,” admits Jess. “You can go to some pretty cool gardens and stuff, though.”

“Oh,” says Taako, slightly disappointed. “Okay.”

It’s around this point that Taako is noticing just how quiet Angus is being. He tugs slightly on his pant leg again, looking concerned. “Angus, do you… ...do you wanna go to a pretty garden?”

Angus smiles at him, his eyes slightly far away. “Sounds nice buddy, but I’ll probably just read later. June can take you there if you want. Have you ever been in a garden?”

“I dunno,” he says. “Hey, lady, why’s that one guy have that bowtie?”

“Oh. I mean, I’m not supposed to talk about other people on the train--but that’s Mister Jenkins. He’s on his way to some kind of wizard conference or something.”

“ _ Ooohh. _ ” He  _ must _ get to that man with a bowtie.

Taako starts to scamper off but is caught by June with her free hand, hugging him close. “Not so fast, pumpkin. We gotta have breakfast first.”

“Pffft,” says Taako, pouting awfully.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“ _ No, _ ” he pouts.

“I bet you are,” says June, playfully. “And I bet that’s why you’re a lil grouchy, huh? Just a little grouchmonster.”

“ _ Noooooo, _ ” he whines. “I’m not  _ hungry, _ I’m not  _ hungry, _ I want to go see the--”

Taako sees the dining car and all is forgiven. He wants waffles, so Jess says she can make those no problem, and he gets to sit with Angus and June and his umbrella, so he’s happy.

“Are  _ you _ gonna have breakfast, Angus?”

“Not very hungry, bud.” Angus smiles slightly. “But thanks.”

“Okay,” says Taako. He’s getting very worried about Angus.

“June,” he whispers loudly. “Is Angus going to be okay?”

June shoots him a sympathetic glance too, then whispers back. “He’ll be just fine, darlin’. He’s just very worried about his grandpa, is all.”

Taako thinks about that while he waits for the waffles, daydreaming a little and staring at Angus occasionally at the same time. He wonders if Angus is worried for his grandpa in the same way that he’s worried for Angus, and this makes him a little bit sad. He’d hate to worry so much about Angus all the time.

After a little bit of silence, Taako and June’s waffles arrive. Taako is eager to dig into his, and even offers to share some with Angus, but Angus doesn’t respond and then gets up.

“I’m sorry, you guys,” he says. “I’m sorry if this is rude, but I uh, I’m gonna go read for a little bit, okay?”

“It’s not rude at all, darlin’. You go on and read if you need to. Taako ‘n’ I will be just fine right here, won’t we?”

He agrees, but solemnly. When he bites into the waffle, it’s almost as good as the ones Angus makes for him at his house, but he can’t enjoy it like usual. He still eats it and gets all syrup sticky, but he chews thoughtfully. June won’t let him lick from the plate, so he sulks for a moment, and then while she’s using wipes all over his fingers and his face, he asks her a question.

“Why doesn’t Angus’s grandpa get better?”

She almost stops wiping his face, but she doesn’t. “It’s, um… ...not like that, sweet pea. He can’t get better.”

“Why not? There’s… ...um.” He doesn’t know the words. “Stuff to help.”

“Not with this, baby. Some people, it’s just--their time to go.”

His eyes go wide and full of tears. “Go where?” He asks, and then immediately afterwards: “No.  _ No. _ ”

Taako doesn’t know why he does what he does next; he only knows he does it. He runs from the dining car despite June’s protests and goes and hides in the sleeper car with his mongoose and some blankets. He cries and cries, and then he overhears June.

“A daycare center?”

“Oh, yes, it’s very good,” a voice is saying. “Lucretia is a very competent young lady. Almost runs the whole thing like a preschool. Educational  _ and _ fun.”

“Hm. Well, we’ll certainly think about that, but for now… I know he’s been dying to meet you. Taako,” she calls, “come say hi to the man with the bowtie. His name is Mister Jenkins.”

And Taako is so exhausted from all this crying and so confused and overstimulated, and wondering too much about being taken away or anything like that. He grabs the mongoose and the umbrella, though, and ventures out to finally see the wizard with the rainbow bowtie.

“Hello, young one,” says the man. “I’m Mister Jenkins. Your mother here tells me you’ve been very interested in my bowtie.”

“You’re a bad wizard, I can tell,” he says, flatly, before going off to find Angus. “And she’s not my mom.”

Both of them are left speechless as he makes his way to Angus, and he can tell he’s been crying. Hiding his face somewhat with his hat again, he cuddles up real close to Angus, and gives him a huge hug. Pretty soon his thumb is in his mouth, and he’s dropped the mongoose just to cling to his friend.

“Hey, buddy,” Angus says softly. “Thanks for the hug. I needed one.”

“I know,” he says simply. “Don’t worry.”

They sit like that, real quiet, until Angus decides he  _would_ like to see a pretty garden.

He takes Taako inside to see all the different plants and colors, and Taako sees a smile on his face.

That's good enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh, i'm... not at all happy with this chapter for some reason but i've been working so so hard on it. i hope it's... decent, bluh. I'M JUST GOING TO POST IT AND HOPE SO. hope your holidays were great and your new year is starting off right. <3;; love you all!


	9. Chapter 8

Taako learns about many different colors in the garden, though he can’t remember the names of plants except to tell the difference between a “tree,” a “flower,” and a “grass.” It cheers him and Angus up enough for a good while, but by the end of the journey as they arrive in Neverwinter, Taako is exhausted and clinging to Angus and Angus is back to being quiet.

“Oh, looks like we’re here, bud,” Angus says gently to the sleepy elf, getting up slowly. “Junebug, can you take him for a minute, please?”

“Sure thing, dumplin’.”

Taako mumbles a little, but he doesn’t know what, and he’s in June’s arms now. She’s still cozy enough and he’s still tired enough that he barely notices, clinging with little fingers to the fabric of her dress and sucking on his thumb as he takes in everything just barely in a half-asleep sort of way. He must sound like he’s whining to be away from Angus, just a little because June soothes him and pets his hair.

“I know, sugar,” she says. “I know you’ve had a long day.”

“He did _very_ well, though,” Angus says from somewhere, and Taako’s elven ears perk up even as he’s drifting a little ways into sleep when he hears the sounds of people and luggage moving around him. “Don’t you think so, June?”

“Oh, absolutely,” June agrees.

Taako smiles just a little at this because he _has_ been trying very hard today. The train frightened him something awful, but he got through it for Angus and for June, and he even got to see pretty flowers. He tries to say something to this effect, but his mouth is dry with naptime, and he’s still got his thumb in his mouth. “Flowers,” is what comes out, and he’s too dazed to care.

“That’s right,” June says kindly, shifting him a little in her arms. “You boys got to go see that garden, huh? I bet that was neat.”

“Taako knew _so many colors._ ”

“Wow,” gasps June.

“Mhm,” Taako agrees, snuggling into her a little more.

“Poor thing. All tuckered out now, huh? You just let yourself rest now if you want, baby. Growing boys like you need a nice nap now ‘n’ then.”

He’s becoming too accustomed, maybe, to the way even June calls him “baby.” He’s thinking about it a little bit while he thinks about dream things, the two mixing together as he closes his eyes all the way and feels warm. People earlier were so insistent that she was his mom, and he doesn’t know why, but it’s something that keeps coming back. It’s a lot for a boy who’s been through so much to think about, though, so eventually, he gives up on it and murmurs something that makes no sense while he rests on her.

“That’s right, little one,” she coaxes him, and she rocks him a little bit now. “You’ve earned your rest today.”

It’s slightly disturbed when they slip a little coat on him, and he moans a little but he sticks his arms through the sleeves and puts little pink gloves on his hands. June comforts him again when she lifts him back into her arms, promising him that he can just sleep now, and he believes her and does so. It’s very cold outside, but he’s so asleep by the time they get there he doesn’t notice, and they’re in a wagon by the time he comes to again.

He doesn’t quite move. He’s in Angus’s arms, now, and that’s his favorite place to be. He feels the fabric of his vest in his arms and it’s already so good to him, and so much like home. When he mumbles a little bit, both of them stop talking to see whether or not he’s awake, but he doesn’t respond to them so they keep chatting in the wagon, whispering in hushed tones.

“I dunno about this, June,” whispers Angus.

“I know you don’t _want_ to, darlin’,” she says gently. “But it’s certainly somethin’ to think about, at least while we’re here. I don’t want you going through this all by yourself, and… …” She lowers her voice even more. “... _does_ need lookin’ after.”

Angus sighs, brushing a strand of hair out of Taako’s face. “I know. I just don’t want to trust anyone else with…” Whisper Taako can’t quite make out. He’s too sleepy to care.

“I understand. Maybe tomorrow we can check the place out, though.”

“It’s just… ...his trust is just so _fragile_ right now, June. The last thing I want to do is make him feel like he can’t trust me. He already gets so worried about that, I--”

“You’re doing your _best,_ Angus. But you can’t be there for everything.”

“He shouldn’t have to learn that _yet._ ” Angus sounds like he’s crying. “I--I’m so _irresponsible,_ Junebug. How could I do this when I--when I can’t even get my own life together? When my only family is--is about to… ...and he hasn’t even been _proud_ of me.”

“Shh...” June comforts Angus like she comforts Taako. Even in a dreamy haze where none of this matters, the little elf can tell that much. “Don’t you be so hard on yourself. You’re one of the most responsible people I’ve ever _known._ And you’re _certainly_ more responsible than that old geezer, anyhow. You’re a good man, Angus. You’re doing good things for a little boy you only just met and family that barely qualifies. Your life is _plenty_ together, sugarplum. But you can’t do it all, not by yourself, and not like this.”

“Damn it,” Angus whispers. He’s definitely crying. “I don’t even want Taako to _meet_ my grandpa. It’s not _fair._ I don’t want him to have to see--”

“And he won’t, darlin’. He _won’t,_ but that’s why we might need to think about… ...this other option, just until there’s not as much on your plate. I wanna be _there_ for you, Angus. That’s all I’ve _ever_ wanted. Just know that.”

“Thanks, Junebug. It… ...it means a lot to me to have you around.”

“I know it does, Angus. Don’t worry.”

There’s enough silence that Taako nearly dozes off entirely again, mind starting to fill with that weird static, but just before he drifts off for the final time Angus speaks again, still holding him so close and warm. “Okay, I… ...we can stop by. But if something feels off or wrong, or we just don’t like it for _any_ reason, or Taako can’t get along there--”

“Of course we’ll make sure it’s decent first, Angus. The whole _world_ knows how committed you are, you’re so thorough, and I haven’t overlooked anything yet either. I know how much you don’t want anything to happen to him, and I’m--well, I’m just as attached to the little guy as you. So we’ll be sure before we do anything, okay? But you gotta stop running yourself so ragged and try to be kind to yourself. For him _and_ me.”

“Okay,” Angus murmurs. “Deal.”

As soon as the static overtakes everything, Taako knows he’s dreaming.

When he wakes up again, he’s in another bed and place he doesn’t recognize. He feels very grown up for not panicking at all as he slips out of bed and takes a look around, and even though he’s been promised that this isn’t forever or always, some part of him can’t help but think that he _knew_ things couldn’t last the way they were at Angus’s house no matter what a magic candle tried to tell him. He’s still clutching his mongoose friend as his feet shuffle around on the wood floor, and he tries to see if there’s anything fun in here but it’s all just boring books.

Maybe Angus will know where his toys are. He ventures out of the room somewhat cautiously, still holding onto his stuffed animal friend, and he feels just as lost as he did the first day at Angus’s house but he expects that now. He knows that if they’re here to see Angus’s grandpa, it’ll probably be a lot like it is at Angus’s anyways, so he might have to walk awhile to find Angus.

“Angus?” He calls out anyway, voice thick with sleep still. He rubs some of the sand out of his eyes and yawns. “Angus? Where are you, Angus?”

To his surprise, June finds him first. She’s never done that before during the waking time in the mornings, and it catches him off-guard a lot to see her in her jammies. “Good morning, sunshine,” she greets him politely. “How are you today?”

“Um,” he stammers. “Where’s Angus? I need loops.”

“Angus is a little busy right now,” she says, and he’s instantly disappointed. “I can fix you a bowl of Froot Loops if you want, though, hon. You ready for breakfast?”

His stomach growls, but he eyes her warily nonetheless. Taako knows he’s _told_ her about the loops at work when they’re playing games or baking in his little oven or having tea parties, so she knows what they are. But he doesn’t know how to feel about someone making them for him other than Angus because it hasn’t ever happened before. He’s always been the one to pour the colorful loops into the bowl and listen to Taako’s singsongs about the loops while he eats and kicks his legs up and down in the chair. This time, they’re in a different place, and June is going to make them.

After another hunger pang in his stomach, he agrees. “Yes,” he admits. “I want loops, please, June lady.”

“Listen to those good manners,” June exclaims, and even though Taako doesn’t quite know how to feel, he beams. “That’s very good, Taako! Okay, let’s get you some cereal. Angus packed you some special. We just gotta find it.”

“‘kay,” Taako says, following June into a room with a carpet and a lot of their bags. “How come Angus’s grandpa doesn’t have loops?”

“He doesn’t eat ‘em, sweet pea,” she says with all the patience in the world as she starts looking through bags.

“Oh,” he says. “Why not?”

“He… ...can’t eat things like that, is all. Old people can’t sometimes.”

“Oh,” he says awkwardly again. “Um, okay.”

Taako decides at that moment he very much doesn’t want to be old. He doesn’t say it, though. Something about it makes him feel really weird inside, and he shifts anxiously from one foot to another as June rummages around in bags until she produces some of the colorful loops he likes. He stays quiet until they’re out of that room and going to the kitchen, hugging his mongoose super duper close to his face, and it doesn’t occur to him until right now to be worried about something else entirely.

“June,” he says anxiously. “Where’s my umbrella?”

“Oh.” She sounds like it’s just occurred to her too, which doesn’t make him feel any better. “That’s right; you really _do_ carry that thing around with you everywhere, huh?”

He nods. This is a stupid question, but June is allowed to have those sometimes. She doesn’t know things that he knows with Angus yet, because she’s not usually here at morning time like this, so he forgives her as she apologizes and goes to get it. When she comes back with it, she even makes a point to set it right up against Taako’s chair, which makes him feel better.

Sometimes, all of them forget that it even spits fire at all.

Taako would rather not think about it.

When she pours him a bowl of loops, he relaxes a lot. The kitchen isn’t as big or as nice as Angus’s, but it’s still a really good kitchen, and his feet still don’t touch the floor in his chair. She listens to one of his many loops songs (which is kind of just the words, “loop, loop, loop / i love loops” over and over), and then she does the little game on the back of the box with him just like Angus would do. It’s pretty terrific fun, so he’s in a good mood even before he sees Angus, but when he hears Angus coming into the kitchen he smiles so wide.

“Hiya, Angus, great news,” he chirrups, kicking his legs. “June knows how to make Loops, too!”

“That’s great, bud.” Angus is smiling, but he sounds very tired and he’s not in his pajamas. He’s in the same clothes he was yesterday, and that’s not like him at all. Taako watches him carefully as he shuffles across the kitchen and starts making a cup of coffee (he’s not allowed to have coffee, and also, it doesn’t taste very good says Angus? It’s very confusing to him). He yawns, too, which Taako doesn’t usually hear him do.

“Of course I know how to, silly,” June says, booping his nose. “And I can make ‘em anytime. Good to see you, Angus. How’re you feeling this morning?”

When Angus hears the question, his eyes get that far away look again. Taako’s back to feeling worried, trying to look at June to help him feel better, but she looks worried too. That makes him feel even worse.

“Angus,” she says again, gently. “You okay?”

“Huh?” He mumbles, and his eyes try to focus in a little more. They seem very, very tired. “Oh, yeah, I’m doing okay. Just gotta have my coffee, y’know.”

“Mhm,” says June, keeping an eye on him. “How’d you sleep?”

He stops rummaging around in a cupboard for a moment. “Uh, what?”

“Oh, honey, don’t tell me you didn’t sleep at _all._ ”

Taako’s eyes widen. He’s never thought about Angus not sleeping before.

“Couldn’t really find the time,” Angus murmurs absent-mindedly, fiddling with some coffee stuff in his hands. They’re shaking. “I will soon, though. I mean, uh… ...tonight, I’ll um--I just need some coffee.”

“Oh, Angus,” June sounds sad. “Is it _that_ bad?”

Taako knows enough to understand that “bad” is not good, and it’s enough for him to worry even more. His ears droop down again like they always do when he’s feeling sad and scared, but this time he resolves not to cry. Angus isn’t okay, he can tell; he may not understand it all the way, but he can tell, and for now, he needs to try to be very good so that Angus keeps him and doesn’t cry anymore also.

“What?” Angus asks, stirring something into his mug. “Oh, uh, bad? I mean, well he--he wasn’t very happy about the silverware. That’s… ...that’s about all he’s said to me, so uh--you know.”

When Angus lifts the cup to his mouth, he shakes again.

“Really?” June sounds… ...almost angry, which Taako has never heard from her before. He doesn’t know what to do with it, so he just watches everyone so careful, being very mindful of his umbrella and his mongoose friend. “You travel all the way here to visit the man and all he--all he cares about is the damn _silverware?_ ”

Angus laughs quietly. It’s not a good sound. “June, it’s okay, really. I knew it’d be like--”

“Well, of course you _knew,_ Angus, but that just… ...that just butters my biscuit. I can’t--I can’t _believe_ that man. On his deathbed and he’s bothering you about the silverware. Unbelievable.”

Taako’s never seen this side of June before. He’s trying not to let it make him nervous, but this whole thing is very overwhelming. He swallows hard, lip trembling, and tries to look at Angus but it doesn’t make him feel any better. Angus just looks so tired, so far away, so not paying attention, so--so _not_ Angus. It scares him almost.

“June,” Angus says nonetheless, gesturing towards Taako.

“Oh,” June gasps. “Oh, Taako, it’s all right. Don’t cry.”

“‘m not,” he insists, tears forming in his eyes. “‘s’okay.”

“Oh, baby doll,” June says anyway, and she goes to hug him.

All of his muscles tighten in a familiar way, and he flinches away from her. She looks almost hurt and ashamed, but she understands enough to keep away. “I’m so sorry, baby. I won’t be like that again, okay?” She doesn’t explain it to him; he just can’t understand.

“Okay,” he echoes carefully.

“Buddy,” Angus tries. “We--you don’t have to worry about it, okay? Sometimes grownups get--sometimes--it’s not about you. June’s not mad at you or at me, okay?”

“Heavens no,” June confirms. “Of course not. I’d never be cross with my favorite boys.”

“Okay,” he says again, eyeing her as he gets down from the table. “She’s mad at your grandpa.”

“Um,” stammers Angus. He can’t think of what to say in time.

“Why is she mad at your--”

“Let’s,” says Angus, and he sounds so strange that Taako shuts up immediately. “Let’s not talk about that anymore, okay? We don’t have to. We just don’t have to.” He takes another long sip of coffee, hand still shaking.

In that moment, as Angus looks at him, Taako knows that he _needs_ to be quiet. It’s not in a way with which he’s familiar; he’s not scared that Angus is going to yell at him or hurt him, and when he thinks even about June being angry he’s not worried that she will either. It’s something different, and it makes him feel very quiet for a little bit, and mostly very confused.

“D’you wanna hold Mister Mongoose, Angus?” It’s the only thing he can think to say.

“Sure, Taako,” Angus agrees, and he gladly accepts Taako’s stuffed friend when he’s offered. “Thank you _very_ much. That’s… ...that’s really nice.”

“What a thoughtful gesture, Taako. You’re a very good boy.” June thinks so, too. That’s good.

“He always makes me feel better, so,” Taako sputters. “So you too, see?”

“I do see.” Angus smiles. “Thank you.”

“Mhm,” Taako murmurs, blushing slightly as Angus pulls him in for a hug. It’s a very long one this time, but Taako doesn’t mind, and he finds that he maybe doesn’t even want it to end. It does eventually, though, and when it does he looks away a little, wringing his hands. “You can take Mister Mongoose with you if you want. He told me he wants to see Grandpa.”

“It’s--it’s okay, pal.” Angus’s voice is cracking a little now. “He’s your very special friend. I don’t need him. Why I don’t… I don’t even know what to feed him!”

“He eats loops,” Taako answers very seriously. “They’re his most favorite.”

“Ah,” Angus listens. “I see. Makes sense. It’s okay, though. He--he wants to be with you.”

“Are you _sure?_ You don’t speak mongoose like me.”

“I can tell, though,” Angus tries. “It’s--it’s okay, Taako. Thank you.”

“Well,” he mumbles. “Well, if you need to hold him, he says it’s okay to visit.”

“Tell him 'thank you,' too.”

“I will."

"You're both very good."

That would usually make Taako happy, and he does feel very proud of himself and Mister Mongoose, but it’s been a very strange couple of days. He takes his mongoose friend back, burying up to his nose in his fur, and lets his head rest there as he nods.

“I need you to know that,” Angus emphasizes. “I need you to know that you’re very good right now. Okay?”

“Okay, Angus,” he says. “I know.”

“Okay. Now um, can you be a good boy and get dressed? We’re going out today. June, too.”

This surprises Taako, but he nods.

“Good. Um, Taako? I--I love you.”

“I know, Angus,” he says.

After that, he tries not to think about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhh, wow. i... i got really carried away and wrote another chapter today i guess!! thanks everyone for such kind words all the time, and for sticking with me throughout this story. it's honestly my pet project, and it's so important to me that it's found such a home within this fanbase! the fact that i've been able to stick with it for so long--and will continue to--means a lot too, especially with everything that's been going on in my life. i'm really grateful from the bottom of my heart for all of you and all your comments and kudos. <3


	10. Chapter 9

This ride is strange.

Angus is holding him close and comforting like usual, but Angus keeps drifting off to sleep. Taako likes to hear the rhythm of his heartbeat and his little snores. It feels comforting, somehow. But then he starts awake.

“Grandpa?” He says. “I--I’m so sorry I fell asleep, I--”

“We’re not back there, Angus. You can rest, sweetheart. D’you want me to hold Taako?”

“No, I... I got ‘im,” Angus insists, holding him close, eyelids drooping. “He’s… ...he’s mine and I got ‘im… ...he’s safe with me, huh, Taako?”

“Yeah, Angus,” he says, patting Angus on the face. “I am. Shh.” He tries the “shh,” like June does, like Angus does when they want him to sleep.

It works. He smiles just slightly and sleeps some more, glasses askew. He’s in different clothes, now, so that’s good. Taako’s in different clothes too and didn’t even complain when asked to take a bath. He did it all, quiet and compliant for Angus.

Now they’re on their way to… ...somewhere. Taako doesn’t know where yet. They haven’t told him much, but he knows better than to make a fuss about anything today. He’s not even trying to play the usual games, just being quiet and anxious and snuggling Angus. June is holding the umbrella.

He has an eye on it, but most of his time is devoted to looking after Angus. When he starts to whimper in his sleep, or even start to cry, just a little, Taako pats him softly and goes, “Shh. Shh, Angus. I’m here.” He does it because that’s what Angus does and it always makes him feel better. It makes June smile to see it, and she says he’s a good boy, so he must be doing something right.

“Taako,” he talks in his sleep. Worries in his sleep.

“Here I am, Angus.”

It continues like that for a little while. Taako doesn’t feel tired at all, though. Taako feels wide awake but very quiet. He has a lot to think about because Angus is not okay, and June is mad at Angus’s grandpa but she’s also worried about Angus, and now they’re going somewhere.

“Where are we going?” He risks. He’s trying to be quiet, but Angus starts.

“Are we there? I’m awake, ‘m ready, I--”

“No, Angus. Sleepy time. Shh.” He pats his face again.

“Oh, Taako,” Angus sighs, trying to keep his eyes open. “Okay. Just let me know when--when we get… ...to the, um… ...thing with the, uh...”

It only takes that much for Angus to dissolve into snores again. This time, he rests his head on June, and she lets him without complaint, occasionally humming and brushing little curls out of his face. It’s interesting to see an adult the way Taako usually is, and how they still treat each other the same.

“June,” Taako tries again, using his very best inside voice. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see. It’s a… ...it’s a surprise, baby.”

“Oh.” This doesn’t sit well with Taako at all, and his stomach is such a ball of nerves, but he has to figure that neither of them would take him somewhere bad, at least for now. He’s too nervous to play any games, so he just sits and stares ahead until June breaks him out of his reverie.

“All righty, looks like we’re here!” She says with a certain amount of forced enthusiasm. Taako starts immediately, slightly nervous, but Angus doesn’t even move at first. He’s still asleep on her shoulder, and she looks guilty as she tries to wake him up. “Angus, darlin’? We’re here. _Angus._ ”

That finally gets him to shoot up quick, eyes unfocused. “Oh, ‘re we here, Junebug?” He yawns hugely again.”Sorry about that, I um--I must’ve dozed…” He’s already falling asleep on her shoulder again, and she looks like she feels awful when she shakes him awake a little more. “...uh, sorry. ‘m awake.”

“It’s okay, darlin’,” she says quietly. “Are you sure you’re up to seein’ this place today, though? You’re so _exhausted._ ”

“It _needs_ to be done, June,” Angus says with a certainty. “I’ll, uh, I’ll perk up. That cold winter air’ll be good… ...for me.”

As he stares into space, Taako shares a worried glance with June. He can’t figure out whether or not he’s more worried for Angus or this place as they get off of the wagon, but he insists on carrying the umbrella inside with one hand and holding Angus’s hand in the other. If it looks like Angus will fall asleep again, Taako decides, he’ll give his hand a little squeeze. The cold air really does seem to wake him up, though, which is good.

He’d ask what this place is, but by now he just wants to get the suspense over with, so when he sees the soft blue building up ahead he doesn’t ask questions yet. It looks interesting enough; he lifts his hat up a little to get a better peek at the creature on the sticker on the door, something that Taako doesn’t know. Since he can’t read, he doesn’t know what it’s called, but it’s warm when they step inside the first door.

Through the glass, Taako can see a lady notice them, and she tells a younger boy something. He’s the one who hurries over to open the second door before Angus or June has to, grinning at them slightly.

“Um, hey there,” he says. His voice cracks a lot like Leon’s did, which makes Taako curious. “Welcome to Balanced Babysitting, where we care about your child care! My name’s Avi. What brings you here today?”

Angus doesn’t respond quick enough, still a little zoned out, and Taako gives his hand another anxious squeeze to bring him back to reality a little bit. He comes back, but June is the one to step up and respond, clearing her throat.

“Hello there, Avi. We’d like to speak to Miz Lucretia, please.”

“Okay, but like,” Avi continues, “can you give me any deetz? Because, like, people wanna speak to her a lot for sure but--”

The lady who noticed them before makes her way to the door right quick, and Taako blinks up at her in awe. She seems very tall, at least compared to June and Angus even, and in his frame of reference that makes her very impressive. She’s wearing the same colors as the outside, which he also likes a lot, and rounder glasses kind of like Angus’s. “Avi, not to be rude or anything, but what are you holding these good people up for? We should invite them inside.”

“Oh, uh, yes, ma’am, sorry,” Avi apologizes. “Was just trying to make sure they were, like, people you _needed_ to see. Vigilance ‘n’ all that.”

“I understand,” she says. “Sorry, I, um, didn’t mean to lose my cool there.”

He laughs. “You didn’t at all, ma’am. We’re cool.”

“Okay, good,” the lady breathes. Taako is still just blinking up at her, unsure why she’s here or he’s here or anything.

“Miss Lucretia?” Angus hazards a guess.

“That would be me,” she says, smiling a little. Her lips are blue. Taako doesn’t quite know how he feels about it. “You three should come inside; it’s awfully cold out there.”

“Thanks so much, ma’am.” June makes her way inside first. “Come on, you two.”

Taako is still worried about Angus, who would usually be much quicker than this, but he keeps needing to sort of “snap” back into himself. He looks like dreaming, maybe, but he’s wide awake. He tugs the detective along helpfully, which seems to help jar him back to the present a little bit.

That’s good because Taako can’t afford to pay too much attention to Angus now when there are _so many colors and neat things to see._ A moon smiles on a wall, stars are all over, and everything is so colorful. There’s _toys_ like his toys but different, and paintings on the walls of just hands. It looks so _good_ here, and he tries to tug Angus along to see.

“Angus, _look_ it,” he chirrups.

“Hold on a second, bud. June ‘n’ I have to talk to Miss Lucretia for a second.”

He goes and sits politely in a colorful chair just so he can look at everything, and in this one, his feet can touch the ground. Normally he’d be more nervous, and he certainly was _before_ he found this place, but everything looks so colorful and friendly. He hums as he takes it all in, keeping his grip on his umbrella. There’s carpet here, with little colorful flecks, and upon the wall near him there’s a bunch more stars, but these ones are tiny and sticky.

Something inside of him wants to take _something_ good, and the stars are so shimmery and tiny that maybe no one’ll notice if he pries just one off the wall. When he’s absolutely _certain_ no one’s looking, he sets about attempting to climb on top of the chair and stand on his tippy-toes, trying to scrape at one of the sticky stars with dedication.

“Not for touching, little guy,” says Avi behind him, and it startles him so much he starts to fall backward, yelping a little. The teenager catches him easily in his arms, though, and sets him back down. “You gotta _earn_ those.”

Oh, no. He just barely got to this place, and he’s already in trouble. “I didn’t _do_ anything,” he insists, blushing furiously and pulling his hat down a little.

Angus hears his insistence even from a little ways away and pauses while talking to Miss Lucretia to glance over at him with wary and weary eyes. “Taako, are you causing any trouble over there?”

The little elf _snaps_ to attention at Angus’s voice. “ _No,_ ” he insists again, a little too loudly. When he takes his seat again, he’s pouting and folding his arms, a little cross that he’s surrounded by fun everywhere but he can’t do any of it, torn between curiosity and a desire to be so good for his favorite person. “Hrmph.”

To his surprise and confusion, Avi laughs. “Nah, he’s good! I got somethin’ even _better_ for him anyways.”

Just like that, Taako goes from sulking to intrigued, lifting the hat up a little out of his face as his ears perk up. “You do? What is it?”

When Avi smiles, there’s something friendly and mischievous about it that Taako’s never seen on a grown up’s face before. It makes him feel a lot better somehow, and he’s even more curious. “Those stars are pretty cool, yeah,” he says, eyes darting back and forth. “But I’ve got something _way_ cooler. Hold on a sec and I’ll go get it.”

So Taako waits, fidgeting a little. He starts to wonder some about what Angus and June must be doing with Miss Lucretia for such a long time, trying to maybe hear or understand a little bit of their conversation, but Avi’s back before he can figure it out with something in his hand.

“Lucky for you, little guy, you got here at just the right time.”

“I did?” He doesn’t know whether or not to take this thing from Avi’s hands yet, looking cautious.

Avi’s still smiling at him. “Yup,” he confirms. “ _Snack_ time.”

He offers the thing in his hand to Taako, which seems like a tube. There are words on it but he doesn’t know what they are, and it’s cold. He raises an eyebrow, wondering what kind of snack could possibly look and feel like this, but Avi encourages him to “slurp it,” so Taako hesitantly tries it out.

A familiar sort of fruit flavor happens next, and Taako’s eyes widen in delight. “ _Oohh,_ ” he says, trying unsuccessfully to clap his hands with the snack still in them. “That’s _neat._ ”

“Pretty sweet, huh? That’s called Go-Gurt. Your parents never give you that at home?”

“Oh, that’s not my parents,” he says, still eating the lime yogurt. “That’s Angus ‘n’ June.”

“Ah,” he says, leaning down a little so he’s on Taako’s level. “And that Angus ‘n’ June, they’re good people, yeah?”

“Mhm,” he tries to talk with the Go-Gurt tube in his mouth, slurping some more down. “They’re pr’tty good. ‘specially Angus; he’s my fav’rite. They never gave me this, though. I never saw it before. Is there really a snack time?”

“Only every _day,_ little dude. Even Fisher’s gotta munch.”

“Wow,” Taako exclaims. “Who’s Fisher?”

“Maybe if I see Johann around, I can convince ‘im to show you,” says Avi, winking. By now, Taako is thinking that this new person is so interesting and full of a whole secret world he’s never seen before, and he’s all but forgotten about trying to eavesdrop on Angus and June. Avi is, Taako thinks, _probably_ the coolest person he has ever met in his entire life.

Right then, another man who looks around the same age as Leon and Avi pokes his head into the room. “Did someone ask for me or something?” He looks terribly uninterested in everything and pretty sad. Taako wonders about it, like everything else in this strange and new place.

“Right on cue,” Avi teases. “Hey, J-Man, do you think you could do me a solid?”

The other teenager sighs. “What is it this time, Avi.”

“Hey, no need to be like that! I was just wondering if you could show Taako here our little mascot.”

As Avi gestures to him, Taako feels _so_ cool. He must really be interesting if both of these older guys want to give him secret snacks and show him whatever a “mascot” is. Normally he might feel shy or slightly wary, but for some reason, Taako knows there’s nothing to fear from this other person especially. He’s just too low and too sad, and he speaks too funny to be an actually intimidating person. Taako waves a little bit, then thinks maybe that’s too eager and stops.

The other guy sighs again, glancing over in Miss Lucretia’s direction. “Avi, dude, you _know_ I can’t keep doing this. Lucretia doesn’t want me to let the kids around ‘em without permission. And considering Fisher’s a jellyfish, that’s not exactly like, an unreasonable thing--”

Taako gasps. “What’s a jellyfish?”

“Aw, _see,_ Johann? Taako here doesn’t even know what a jellyfish _is._ It’ll be an educational experience!”

“Yeah, but like, I need a special permit to work with this stuff and everything, dude. And I don’t wanna get fired.”

“You won’t get _fired,_ Johann.” Avi rolls his eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. Just let the kid take a peek, okay? He’ll be cool about it. Right, Taako?”

“ _So_ cool,” Taako breathes, fidgeting in the chair and wringing his hands. He’s _very_ excited now, and can’t imagine how weird something called a “jellyfish” must be.

“Johann, you hear that? He’ll be _so cool._ ”

“I dunno...” Johann starts, looking at Miss Lucretia again, and then he caves in. “Okay, fine. But it’s gonna be just a peek. That’s it. And no funny business.”

“Cross my heart and hope to die, man. Okay, Taako.” Now Avi is _really_ grinning. “Hold my hand at all times, okay? If we do this, you gotta _swear_ you’re gonna be good.”

Taako can’t help himself, shooting out of the chair like a lightning bolt and hopping up and down. “I’ll be _so_ good, Avi,” he swears. “The _best._ I wanna see the jellyfish! Please, please, _please._ ”

“Okay, little guy. Grab my hand and don’t let go.”

Taako takes a deep breath in, then nods as seriously as he can and grasps Avi’s hand. He won’t let go, he promises himself too, for anything in the world. He might’ve had worries before about this place, but they’re all but forgotten as he walks with Avi and follows Johann to see this new fish.

Johann sighs again. “Follow me, I guess.”

They go down a hallway, and all the pictures are so colorful. Everything is smiling and happy in each picture, which Taako thinks is kind of funny because not all of it has eyes in real life. When he points this out excitedly, Avi agrees that the art around this place is “pretty cool,” and Johann has nothing to say.

Finally, they reach their destination, and Taako gets to poke his head in to see. Just as soon as he’s done that, Johann steps in front of Avi and in front of him.

“Okay, that’s it. Sneak peek’s over. Let’s get back out there before someone notices.”

“Aw, _c’mon,_ Johann,” Avi complains. “Let the kid at least _see_ somethin’ before we go back.”

Another sigh. “Okay, fine, whatever,” Johann agrees with some reluctance. “But if I get fired, you’re the one who’s gotta try to explain this shit to my mom.”

After what seems like forever, Johann finally opens the door and allows them inside. It’s a very dark room, save for something in the middle, which is glowing almost like a star. Taako gasps more than he probably ever has, and Avi has to remind him not to let go of his hand, but he doesn’t and is careful to walk very slow and match his steps.

When they get to the glowing thing in the center of the room, it gives off pink and blue and purple lights, and Taako is so mesmerized that he nearly lets go again, only to be reminded that he’s not allowed. This keeps him in line, and even though he’s disappointed when he reaches out his free hand and Avi tells him he’s not allowed to touch the glass and only look, he tries his best.

“What _is_ that in there, Avi?” Taako whispers in awe, unable to take his eyes off it.

There’s that creature inside that was a sticker on the door, only this one is _moving._ This one is shimmering like a night sky, little stringy tentacles moving so peacefully in the water. There’s a kind of humming sound in the room, which Taako’s ears feel especially sensitive to, but it feels nice. He never could’ve even imagined a creature like this, not in a hundred years, and he sits and watches it with reverence.

“That, my friend,” Avi explains, “is Fisher. He’s like our pet.”

“ _Wow._ ”

“Pretty neat, right? You should watch Johann feed ‘im sometime.”

“What? It eats?” He can’t take his eyes off it, watching it swim around. “Like I eat the snacks?”

“Exactly like that, yeah,” Avi says. “You’ve got the right idea.”

“But _how?_ There’s no mouth.”

“Well, no,” Avi admits. “It eats without one, though. And not stuff like Go-Gurt, exactly… ...but like, _music_ 'n' stuff. Do you ever hear music at home?”

“I dunno,” Taako says without thinking, captivated by this thing.

“Well, one of these days, if you come back here,” Avi promises, “you’ll hear some. Johann’ll help with that and you’ll get to watch Fisher feed if you want. It’s pretty awesome.”

Johann sighs again. “It’s like, okay, I guess.”

“ _Wow,_ ” Taako says again. He can’t wait to show Angus and June when they come back.

Unfortunately, it’s not long after that before Johann says it’s time to go, and this time Avi agrees with him. Taako follows both of them loyally out, waving bye-bye to Fisher as he goes, and they manage to get back to the room with the sticky stars and the colorful chairs without anyone noticing. He sits nice and quiet after that, and the entire world feels different like he knows something bigger about it than before.

He’s still sitting in quiet and contemplative thought when June and Angus come to get him, and they tell him to wave goodbye to everyone and thank them for being so nice, which he gleefully does. He’s holding Angus’s hand again and dragging the umbrella with him as they go back out to get on the wagon back to Grandpa’s house, skipping a little.

“Did you like it in there, pumpkin?” June asks when they’re all settled, happy just to see him happy.

“It was _so good,_ June,” he tries, beside himself with excitement. “There was colors and pictures and stars and--and--and it was _so good._ Next time we go, you guys gotta see!! It’s _really_ good.”

“I’m glad you liked it, pumpkin. We’ll have to talk about that next part.” June looks at Angus, who’s already sound asleep against her, and pets his hair like she sometimes pets Taako’s hair. “Later.”

“Okay,” Taako agrees happily. “Later.”

He can’t wait to go with them again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, i hope this chapter was okay!! :3 i'm not gonna lie; i'm starting to get back into the swing of writing this story again, which is good because i was worried Real Life Things would make it difficult. i just feel really inspired lately, and all the positive and wonderful feedback i get from you guys really helps me feel even more eager to get it out there! thanks for being some of the best and most adorable readers ever. <3 love you.


	11. Chapter 10, pt. 1

Unfortunately, things don’t go entirely as planned.

The first thing that goes wrong is that, as soon as they get back home, Angus stays awake. He stays awake until the next day, when he’s back to shaking at the breakfast table and drinking coffee, eyes haunted and far away. Taako would give him Mister Mongoose again, except that he heard Angus shout at June some before breakfast.

“Baby, you can’t think straight,” she was saying. “You haven’t been sleeping, your grandfather’s dying, you’re a mess--”

“Well,” he sputtered. “It--it _doesn’t_ matter, June. I can’t _do_ this. I won’t _do_ this.”

“It’s going to be _okay,_ Angus,” she’d tried to soothe him. “Really, you’re getting too worked up about it. Remember? We _liked_ it there.”

Mister Mongoose probably isn’t going to help whatever’s going on. Taako can tell, as Angus sips his second mug of coffee that he’s seen and shakes, that this is probably beyond his and Mister Mongoose’s expertise. He can’t think of what to say, so he just eats his loops so quiet, not even bothering to sing a song.

June is the one who helps him get ready because Angus won’t. It frightens Taako to see Angus so not okay and worked up, but June reassures him that he’s just going through a hard time because of his grandpa, and it’s _definitely_ not his fault in the least. His stomach is in knots as he wears one of Angus’s little blue vests, just to cheer him up and make him feel better.

When they board the wagon, Angus looks just as worried as Taako feels, and he squeezes Taako’s hand. He’s had three cups of coffee now in total, and Taako doesn’t know what that means, but he knows that Angus is very shaky today and holding him very close and reassuring him a lot, too much maybe.

“Angus, honey,” June tries to be delicate. “You really need to calm down, okay? I think you’re frightening Taako an eensy bit.”

“ _I’m_ frightening Taako,” Angus whispers and then laughs a little bit. “Okay, I probably am. Sorry, bud. I _really_ don’t wanna do that.”

“It’s okay, Angus,” Taako finally says, staring ahead. “Sleepy times now.”

This time, when he pats Angus, he starts to drift into sleep and then _snaps_ up like a rubber band. His eyes are bloodshot, but he’s determined to stay awake. “Nope, no, thanks little guy, but I’m not sleeping today. Can’t sleep today.”

June sighs heavily. “ _Angus._ ”

“Nope. I can stay awake. I don’t need--any help with--with that,” he insists.

“Shh,” Taako tries.

It doesn’t work. Angus won’t sleep this time. He holds Taako close in a way that makes him think, for some reason, that he needs him more than ever. Taako can’t think to do anything but snuggle into him, which he can tell makes him a little sleepy, but not enough for him to drift. He just won’t let go of Taako today, reassuring him too much that he’s a very good boy and he loves him _so_ much, and asking him to please, _please_ remember that, okay?

He doesn’t know what else to do except to look into Angus’s worried, tired face and tell him that yes, of _course_ he’ll remember that, Angus. Why would he forget? Angus gets too quiet then, but Taako uses the quiet moments to just give him a hug. June has the umbrella. He makes a note of it.

When they arrive, he goes to hold Angus’s hand, but June swoops in to hold his hand instead. Her footsteps are quick and brisk today, high heels making _clack-clack_ noises against the asphalt that Taako’s never quite noticed before, and he hurries to keep up. Angus is trailing them, but he’s so quiet.

They’re going into the light blue building again, which makes him happy. He can see, through the glass, Avi coming to open the door like usual. He can’t see anyone else right now.

“Hiya, Avi,” Taako chirps like a little bird, instantly feeling better. “I came back!”

“Hey there, little man. I’m glad to see that! You’re gonna _love_ today. We’re having a _carnival_ out on the playground, d’you know what that is?”

“A playground? No,” Taako replies in earnest.

Avi laughs. “So you’ve probably never heard of a carnival either, huh?”

“Nu-uh,” Taako gasps as they walk through the door.

“Well, come outside with me when you’re ready and you’ll see, okay?”

“Okay, Avi,” he says, and then he turns back to June. “June, let’s go outside! To the carnival.”

The lady named Miss Lucretia enters very quietly, and he says “hello” to her very cheerfully, but June suddenly looks very uncomfortable. Angus is a little ways away. He’s holding onto his umbrella and trying to tug them along.

“June, we gotta go, okay? Tell Angus we gotta go, too. To the carnival!”

There’s a moment of silence that makes Taako’s hairs stick up on the back of his neck, and then June leans down to his level. “Baby, listen, we’re not going to the carnival,” she says, trying to pet his hair.

He blinks. “What? Okay, well then can I show you--”

“Darling, sweetheart, sweet pea,” June babbles. “We’re not--staying, okay? Not right now. But we’ll be back in just a teensy little while to pick you up, okay? I _promise._ We’ll be back in just a few hours, okay?”

Taako’s entire face freezes in horror. “What? Don’t leave.”

“I’m so sorry, baby. We--we gotta, just for a little tiny bit. But we’ll be right back.”

“No.” His voice is quiet, and then it’s louder, frantic. “No, don’t _go._ You’re always here with me. Don’t _go,_ June. Angus, tell her--tell her she can’t! Angus, tell her _you_ can’t!!” Tears are starting to spring forth in his eyes, and Angus takes a deep breath and comes over to him, kneeling.

Finally, Taako thinks. Finally, someone will see some sense. They’re not leaving him, they’re not--

“I’m sorry, bud,” says Angus, trying not to cry. “I’m so, _so_ sorry, but I do have to leave you. But I promise it’s just for a few hours and you’re gonna be okay, okay? I’m not leaving you forever. I _won’t_ abandon you. It’s just a little while.”

“ _No,_ ” Taako hisses, grabbing onto Angus’s hand and crying. “No, no, _no._ Angus, don’t go! Angus, don’t leave me! I’ll be _good,_ I’ll be so _good,_ Angus!! Please, I’ll--I’ll--I’ll be so good, please don’t _go!!_ ”

“I’m sorry, Taako. Be a good boy. It’s not very long. I promise.”

When Angus’s hand slips away from his, he can’t make it to the door. They’re gone, and the lady Lucretia is the one to come over and pick him up and prevent him from running outside to chase after them.

“No, _no!!_ ” He screams, _wailing_ as loud as he can, kicking and screaming as tears stream down his face. “No, _no!! Angus!! June!! Angus!! ANGUS!!_ ”

“Taako,” the lady Lucretia is trying to say calmly, but he won’t listen. “Taako, it’s all right. They’ll be back soon. I know it’s very scary, but you need to calm down, okay? We’ll wait in here until you can calm down, and then we have some very fun act--”

“I want _Angus,_ ” he sobs at her. “I want _Angus._ I want _Angus._ ”

“I know,” says Lucretia. “You’ll have him, but in the meantime--”

“I want. _My_ Angus.” He sniffles, and then sobs. “I want _my_ _Angus._ ”

“I know. Shh.” She’s just holding him now, trying to comfort him like Angus would comfort him, trying to comfort him like June would comfort him, and he absolutely hates it and he hates her. He says those things to her, sobs them into her shoulders, and she rocks him a little bit and hugs him close. “I know this is _so_ hard, Taako, for you especially. But I won’t ever take them from you. I won’t ever--this is just temporary, all right?”

“I _hate_ you,” he wails.

“I’m sure you do,” says Lucretia. “But I don’t hate you. I just want you to have a good time here.”

“I _can’t,_ ” he sobs desperately. “I _can’t._ ”

“You can, Taako,” she insists. “I know you can and you will. But it may take some… ...time. It may be a bit of an adjustment. I understand.”

“I need _Angus,_ ” he wails. He feels like it’s the end of the world. All of the memories they’ve shared and how important he’s been -- all of it’s just replaced with this terror and this _need_ to get him back, but he can’t. So he just sobs helplessly in this new lady’s arms, telling her over and over how much he hates her and needs Angus and needs June until he’s too tired.

“You can take a nap here,” she suggests, gently. “It’s not nap time for everyone, but it can be nap time for you if you need it.”

“I don’t _want_ to take a nap,” he sobs. “I want _Angus…_ ”

“I think it’ll do you a lot of good, Taako. Avi, can you fetch him a mat and a blanket and pillow?”

“Sure thing, Lucretia.”

Not even Avi sees how wrong this is. Not even _Avi._ Taako feels betrayed by everyone, and tries to pitch a fit and refuse to get on the mat, but once he’s on there, he just pulls the blanket up and cries into the pillow. He begs them not to take his umbrella, and they promise they won’t. He cries and cries about how he hates everyone and everything, he needs Angus so much it _hurts_ him, it makes him feel _sick_ almost…

...and then he sleeps.

When he dreams, he dreams of eyes.

He dreams of a sky gone dark, but not with flames. Just eyes.

There’s no fire around him this time. He’s just staring up at the eyes, and he _knows_ they’re bad, and he knows he can’t run, and--and suddenly, so suddenly, it _is_ his reflection every which way again, the same nightmare he hasn’t had since he started to go to sleep with Mister Mongoose and some milk, and--

\--and he wakes up _SCREAMING._

Miss Lucretia is _immediately_ rushing over to him and trying to calm him down and soothe him, but he’s just _SCREAMING_ for a moment longer, until he’s so scared he can’t do anything but sob into her.

“Taako, it’s okay. It was only a bad dream.”

“But there were eyes-- _so_ many eyes--and my _reflection._ ”

“I… I know,” says Miss Lucretia. “But there’s nothing like that here, you’re--you’re--safe. Um, I… I’m so sorry, but would you be okay if I gave you to Avi for a moment?”

He just cries on Avi instead, who comforts him the way he can.

“Hey, it’s okay, little guy. Just a bad dream. Nothin’ more. You’re safe as long as Avi’s takin’ watch.”

“Promise?” He tries, eyes full of tears.

“I promise. Now uh, Miss Lucretia is… ...actually, I’m not sure what she’s doing, but our carnival’s still going on, if you wanna go see. Or if that’s too much, we can just sit ‘n’ have a snack. There’s a lot of candy here today.”

“Okay,” Taako agrees.

He winds up suckin' on a lollipop shaped like a unicorn’s horn, and sitting in the quiet with Avi, for a little while.

It helps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhh so... i wrote another chapter!!! more to come soon, i think and hope. just 'cuz i am about to introduce some Characters :D


	12. Chapter 10, pt. 2

Then people start coming inside, Johann and a lot of children. He tries to get them to sit down and Avi helps, but everyone’s so excited from the carnival they’re not listening. Taako doesn’t feel too bad that he’s missed the carnival; it feels like too many people in here, and they’re all yelling, and that makes him slightly nervous as he cups his hands over his ears.

The chaos doesn’t last very long, though, because in walks Miss Lucretia.

“The carnival was fun, but now that we’re inside, we use our inside voices, don’t we?” She addresses the whole class, and Taako notices that same dwarf with flowers in his beard speak first.

“Yes, Miss Lucretia,” he whispers.

“ _Very_ good, Merle. Since you’ve set such a good example for the class, you get a star!”

The little dwarf’s eyes go wide and he absolutely grins from ear to ear, in the most joyous display Taako’s ever seen. He still takes his time, his steps soft and gentle, as he makes his way up to the wall of the star stickers. He gets one from Miss Lucretia’s finger and then it sticks onto _his_ finger, and this makes Taako giggle just a little bit as he sticks it on the wall and walks back.

No one’s paying attention to Merle, though. Suddenly everyone’s eyes are on him for giggling, and Taako sits up straight and then huddles, pulling his hat down over his head. He misses Angus so much, but he can’t cry right now, in front of all these other children. So he takes a deep breath.

“The stars’re sticky,” he tries, voice shaking. “That’s--that’s why it’s--funny…”

Everyone stares.

Loud laughter greets him in the form of a slightly older kid than him, with strangely a few scars on his face and a few missing teeth. “I guess that _is_ pretty funny! I liked it. Who’re you?”

“Oh,” he tries, “I’m T--”

Lucretia interrupts him to address the whole group. “Everyone, say hello to Taako! He’s our new playmate here.”

He waves.

“Why don’t you tell everyone a little bit about yourself?”

“Um,” he says hesitantly. “Okay.” Maybe if he pretends he’s comfortable, no one will notice he isn’t. “I’m Taako! From TV.”

“What’s that mean?”

“I… I don’t know.” He’s already faltering. “Um, but I’m a wizard, see? You can tell by my hat!”

“ _Oohhh,_ ” the kid who laughed and Merle say in unison.

“I like the little star,” says Merle helpfully.

Taako flicks it. “Me, _too!!_ ” He beams, showing the gap in his teeth.

“Can I _wear_ it?” The kid who laughed asks.

“ _No,_ ” Taako says very firmly, clutching his hat. “It’s _mine._ ”

“Miss Lucretia says we have to share!” A dragonborn girl about that kid’s age jumps to his defense. “She says we _have_ to, so you _have_ to let Magnus try your hat on!”

Oh, no. He hates it here. He’s never going to be happy here, he hates it here, he _hates_ Lucretia and he _hates_ it here and he’s never giving his hat up, not for the world. He’s clutching it nervously, tears already forming in his eyes. “But it’s _my hat,_ ” he croaks, “and _Angus_ gave it to me!”

“But Miss Lucretia _says--_ ”

“It’s okay, Carey,” the one called Magnus pats her head. “I don’t really need his hat. Don’t cry, okay? I don’t need it.”

“I’m not _crying,_ ” he insists, pulling his hat over his head.

Lucretia speaks up again, and all eyes are thankfully on her instead of on Taako. “That was very good of you, Magnus. If Taako doesn’t want to share his hat, he doesn’t have to.”

“But why?” Carey asks, genuinely curious. “We always have to share.”

“I don’t get it, either,” whispers an orc beside her.

“Would you share your pants with Taako, Carey?”

“No, Miss Lucretia,” she giggles. “That’s _clothes!!_ ”

Lucretia smiles warmly. “Exactly. Taako’s hat is a clothing item, you see? So it’s not to be shared, ever, okay?”

Merle raises his hand.

“Yes, Merle?”

“Well, but what if I give my jacket to somebody because it’s cold?”

“Then that would be a kind thing to do, Merle.”

“How come when I took my shirt off last week, I got in trouble?”

“Because that was not a kind act. That was just you taking off your shirt.”

Taako can’t help but giggle. A lot of the class follows suit, which makes him feel better.

“I like to do that,” says Merle, smiling.

“I know, Merle,” sighs Lucretia.

Everyone giggles.

Suddenly, a little figure in a red robe materializes, and Taako is so spooked he nearly jolts back for reasons he can’t understand. It looks so scary because he’s not sure what’s under the hood except a vague outline of a face, but when it speaks, it’s another little boy voice. Sounds funny, though. Different from the way June’s sounds funny. “What about his umbrella?”

His eyes dart frantically to it, and he snatches it up. “ _No,_ ” he says, clutching it close to him. “It’s _my_ umbrella and _nobody’s_ allowed to touch it _ever._ ”

“‘kay, it’s just,” says the boyish figure in the red robe. “That seems like somethin’ Lup would like, is all.”

Magnus groans. “Not _this_ again.”

But Taako’s ears perk up immediately, and he nearly smiles. “You like loops, too?”

Magnus scoots a little too close to him, whispering in his ear. “Not loops. _Lup._ ”

He doesn’t understand.

“Lup’s his imaginary friend,” says Merle. “Everyone _knows_ she’s made up.”

A gnome beside him agrees. “Davenport,” he says.

“ _Exactly,_ buddy.” Merle pats the gnome on the head.

“She’s _not_ imaginary,” the boy in red insists, hovering. “She’s just not… ...here right now. Um.”

“Well, then where _is_ she?”

“I don’t _know_ and you _know_ I don’t, Magnus! Quit making me look dumb in front of the new kid.”

Lucretia is surveying everyone’s individual conversations, looking so calm and cool about it all. Taako still doesn’t know what to think of her, but she’s very tall and very sure of herself, and when she speaks the children listen. “It’s perfectly okay for Barry to have an imaginary friend, Magnus. Don’t be rude.”

Magnus hangs his head. “Sorry, Miss Lucretia.”

“It’s okay, Magnus. Just remember that it’s not nice to make fun of others.”

“Okay,” he says glumly, looking like a sad puppy.

“A-Anyway,” Barry says, appearing a little closer to Taako and making him jump. “She’s _not_ imaginary, so. And she likes umbrellas.”

Taako eyes him warily. “Does she like Loops? Also, why are you like that?”

“I--I’m not sure,” Barry confesses to both. “I just was this way one day.”

Taako gasps. “Did you forget stuff _too?_ ”

“Yeah! A whole lot of stuff, um, actually. I--I don’t remember my family, so actually, Lucretia’s kinda my mom. ‘n’ Davenport’s too, sorta.”

“Whoa,” Taako gasps. This is such an interesting place, but he really feels more of a connection to Barry than he has any of the other kids, even Merle with the flower in his beard. “ _I_ have a not-really-mom, too!! Her name’s June. And then I have Angus, who’s my fav’rite.”

“That’s so cool,” Barry says sincerely.

“I _know,_ ” Taako says, gleefully. “Do you wanna be my friend?”

“Oh, wow, uh,” says Barry, stammering and looking awkward even as he hovers like… ...that. “Yeah, okay. Sure! No one’s asked me to be their friend before.”

“I’ve never _had_ one before who’s little like you,” Taako confides. “But now I do. You’re my friend. Barold.”

“It’s… ...it’s Barry.”

“Nope.”

“Okay.”

Magnus rushes over, grinning and bigger than Taako by what seems like quite a lot to the little elf, even though he’s probably not _that_ much older. “And I’mmm MAGNUS!!”

Taako starts and nearly falls over. “Hey!”

“And I’m Merle!” The little dwarf chimes in, just happy to be part of the team. “Are we saying our names now?”

“Davenport!” The gnome whose name is obviously Davenport says, looking happy.

“I guess so,” says Barry, laughing a little. “Anyway, Taako, I won’t touch your umbrella.”

“Thanks, Barold."

“But Lup might.”

“...Okay.”

They all chatter like that for awhile, and he gets to know everyone that he wants to. Barry is still his favorite, but Merle’s flowers in his beard are pretty and he finally gets to tell the young dwarf so, which makes him laugh. He says his mom knows Angus and is always talking about him in an angry voice, which makes Taako confused, because Angus is the best detective in the whole world. Magnus is okay, even though he’s loud and always rushing around, and he tells Taako he likes dogs like, five times. He can’t believe Taako’s never seen one. He learns that Magnus has a pet goldfish, which he’s never seen either, and he says he’s allowed to bring him for Show ‘n’ Tell so he will.

Carey is Magnus’s best friend. They demonstrate this by declaring a “thumb” war, and then they arm wrestle. They start to just regular wrestle too maybe, but Lucretia tells them “ _no_ roughhousing,” so they stop. Then the orc, whose name is Killian, starts roughhousing with Carey anyway, only to be told the same thing. They’re all pretty friendly, but Killian’s a little older than the rest, and she rolls her eyes a lot.

When they’re all done talking, it’s time for paints. Taako gets to cover his whole hand in blue paint for Angus and press it up against the paper, putting a smiley face. He does a yellow hand for June, and then tries to do pink for himself, but it comes out a mess. He doesn’t care. He loves it, and he shows _everyone._ When he shows Avi, Avi is _so_ impressed, and it makes Taako seem _so_ cool.

“Have you met Fisher yet?” Magnus leans over and whispers, loudly, as Lucretia is trying to read from a book.

“Yeah,” Taako whispers back.

“Fisher’s my _favorite,_ ” says Magnus.

“He’s neat,” Taako agrees.

Lucretia catches onto them both, though, and so they both have to pay attention to boring books. This is the part of the day that is honestly pretty boring, and Taako hasn’t been sleeping too well, and he’s had such a long day…

...when he wakes up, someone’s laid out a pillow and blanket for him and he has his thumb in his mouth.

“Taako,” Lucretia says gently, “some people are here to see you.”

He’s never been happier to see June and Angus in his whole life, and he gets up and then _runs_ into Angus’s arms. He’s already rambling on about the entire day at the fastest speed his tongue can catch up with the words, talking about how he was so scared but then it was so _fun,_ really, and Angus just listens patiently, hoisting him up into his arms and holding him so close.

“Oh, but I _missed_ you,” he emphasizes, snuggling into Angus.

“I missed you too, buddy,” he agrees, looking tired and snuggling back. “But I told you I’ll never abandon you, didn’t I? And I won’t. Not for anything in the world.”

“Neither will I, pumpkin,” she says. “Promise.”

“Oh,” says Lucretia. “Um, before you leave, here is a permission slip. We’re going on a field trip soon to Goldcliff to go play bumper cars at the Goldcliff Funporium, so… ...if Taako would like to attend such a thing, and you two deem it safe, you may sign there and he can bring this back to me.”

“What’s a bumper car?” He asks, eyes wide.

“You just might find out, bud,” Angus says, and Taako gasps.

As they get back to the wagon, Taako’s still so worn out from the entire day. He babbles with enthusiasm until he starts falling asleep again, clutching his umbrella and sucking his thumb and staying in Angus’s arms warm like home and near June where he’s supposed to be.

“I’m so glad you liked it, darlin’,” June says. “You did _very_ good today.”

“Yup. You were very brave.”

“I guess,” Taako says, sleepy and yawning by now. “I guess I was. But you should stay next time, okay?”

He doesn’t stay awake long enough for them to respond, just clinging to Angus and listening to his familiar heartbeat, but Angus probably falls asleep right there, too.

It’s good to be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UGH I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT THIS CHAPTER because i had to convey such a whirlwind of information at once, but hopefully it's not too bad and still enjoyable. <3 thanks always for all the support and kind words! love you all.


	13. Chapter 11

Taako doesn’t understand it, necessarily, but Angus’s grandpa dies.

Angus’s grandpa dies and the morning that it happens, Taako hears sobbing from Angus. He figures it out without anyone even saying anything and goes back to his room and hides there under the blanket. No one comes in to check on him for a long time, and he gets scared that this is it. This is when people stop caring about Taako. But it’s not true, and eventually June comes in, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“You ready to get up ‘n’ have some Froot Loops, baby?”

“No,” he says morosely.

“Why not, sugar? Aren’t those your favorite?”

“No,” he answers carefully. “I hate them now.”

“Oh, my. Whatever for?”

“Grandpa  _ died, _ ” Taako bursts into immediate tears underneath the covers. 

June takes a moment to respond. “Yes, baby… ...I’m sorry, but he did. Do you want to talk about it?”

“ _ No, _ ” he insists, tears rolling down his cheeks and into his pillow.

“Do you need a hug?”

“ _ No, _ ” he says, “leave me  _ alone. _ Grandpa is  _ gone. _ ”

“Honey--”

“I  _ had _ Abuelito, too,” Taako wails under the covers. “I  _ had _ him and he--didn’t like me. But then he’s  _ gone. _ And now Grandpa is gone  _ too. _ It’s not  _ fair. _ ”

“Baby, sometimes life… ...isn’t…” June trails off, sighing. “Do you wanna make a blanket fort with me?”

Taako’s ears perk up just slightly. “What’s… ...what’s that?”

“Oh, I think you’ll like it. It’s a secret space between just us, where we can talk or not talk about whatever we want. Made of blankets.”

“Oh,” Taako croaks, sniffling. “Okay. I like it. Where’s Angus?”

“He’s sleeping, baby. He’s probably going to need to sleep an awful lot for a little while.”

“When he wakes up, can he be in the fort too?”

“Of course he can, dumplin’. Don’t you worry none about that.”

So they set about making a blanket fort. When they’re done, it’s a space just for Taako and June and very cozy, and Taako is eager to sit inside.

“D’you wanna talk now about anything?”

“No,” he whispers.

“Okay,” June agrees. “That’s okay. Let’s just sit here, just us.”

Taako nods and agrees to these terms. It takes a little bit, but eventually, he agrees to crawl over to June and sit in her lap, and she hums and runs her hands through his hair. After a little bit more time, she starts braiding it, and this feels vaguely familiar to Taako. He enjoys it, and when she’s done she tells him he looks  _ so _ pretty, and it helps a little. He sniffles and she gets him a tissue so he doesn’t wipe his nose on his sleeves, and then he feels like he maybe might be able to have loops.

This time, though, he holds June’s hand the whole way. He glances curiously in the direction that he’s pretty sure is Grandpa’s room, and maybe can hear Angus crying just a little bit, but it makes him nervous and it’s probably better left alone. When she pours the loops and he eats some, there are no songs, but there is a question.

“Are we goin’ to see Miss Lucretia?” He doesn’t know if he wants to.

“Yes, baby,” June lets him know. 

“Is Angus coming?”

“I… I don’t think so, baby doll, not today.”

“So just Taako ‘n’ June today,” he mumbles in thought, stirring his loops and watching the milk turn different colors. “Goin’ to Miss Lucretia.”

“That’s right, sugarplum. I’m sorry that Angus can’t come.”

“Eh,” he stirs and stirs. “It’s okay. This always happens.”

June’s buttering some toast, but she stops. “Why d’you say that, darlin’?”

There are almost tears in Taako’s eyes, but he won’t let them break through, concentrating on the stirring and the colors and not much else. “At first, Angus is around, but not forever,” he whispers. “I knew it. Abuelito is gone, Grandpa is gone… ...next  _ Angus _ will leave me.” They’re falling thick, now, down his cheeks and onto the table. He can watch them go this way.

June is quick to rush over to him and hold him in her arms, which he lets her do. “Oh, no, no,  _ no,  _ sweetheart. Angus isn’t leaving, sweet pea. He’s not leaving you, honey bunch. I promise. No, no,  _ no… _ Shh.” She rocks him a little and kisses his ear just a tiny bit, which makes it twitch, and makes him giggle a little even though he doesn’t feel like it. “No, baby, Angus isn’t going to leave you or me or anybody. He’s just… ...too sad to go. But I’ll talk to him about comin’ with me to pick you up, okay?”

“Too sad,” he muses, wiping his tears on his jammies. “About Grandpa.”

“That’s right, baby. It’s not your fault. It’s  _ never _ your fault. But when he’s not as sad--when he’s  _ ready… _ ” June is being really careful with her words. “Because sometimes even grownups are still sad, but when he’s… ...ready, he’ll take you and pick you up the same. Because he… ...still loves you the same, pun’kin pie. Loves you more’n anything in the whole world, I can say that for sure.”

Taako thinks about this, resting his head against June. He thinks about Angus being so sad about Grandpa. He thinks about how Mister Mongoose can’t fix it. He thinks about how it’s just going to be June and Taako today, going alone, and he gets scared. He tries not to think about the rest, the love, but he does. He thinks about that most of all, how Angus loves him  _ so so  _ much, and he knows it’s true, even if today he won’t go to see him with Miss Lucretia and Avi and all his friends.

He makes a decision that he thinks is very grown up.

“M’kay,” he agrees, slightly dazed. “Let’s go see Miss Lucretia’s class.”  
  
“All right, dumplin’,” she agrees. “I’m very proud of you.”

He doesn’t pay attention to what she puts on him as he gets ready. He just knows he has his hat, and that’s all he needs, as he passes Grandpa’s door and feels somewhat wary and curious. Before he leaves, he dares to leave Mister Mongoose right outside, in case Angus needs company, and he whispers, “Bye-bye, Angus ‘n’ Mister Mongoose,” as he darts away. June is so proud of how clean and nice he looks in his clothes, and they get on the wagon.

Taako settles for the feeling of her dress, but it’s not as much home as Angus. She teaches him a clapping game about “patty-cake,” though, and pretty soon he’s doing it with her and trying to be fast. “Patty-cake, patty-cake,  _ baker’s _ man,” he repeats very seriously. “Like my oven!”

“Yes, Taako! That’s exactly right.  _ Very  _ good, sweet pea.”

He gets pretty good at it on the way there, and pretty fast. Not as fast as June, but by the time they arrive at daycare, he’s already resolved to teach it to everyone else. He still worries for Angus, but it’s at the back of his mind as he holds June’s hand and walks in with her, and sees Avi at the front.

“Hey there, little guy! It’s playtime right now.” He’s grinning, and there’s all sorts of noise behind him. “You ready to have some  _ fun?” _

“Um,” he looks at June, hesitant to let her go. “Yes.”

“That’s right, love,” she encourages him. “You have  _ such _ a fun ‘n’ good time today and then I’ll be back just like last time, okay?”

His eyes are already filling with tears. “...Okay.”

She’s so proud of him, she tells him again, holding him close and giving him another big kiss. “I  _ love _ you, Taako, honey.  _ Angus _ loves you. We both love you,  _ so so  _ much, and we’ll see you so soon. Today. Promise.”

“I’m sad,” he cries into her, “about Grandpa.”

“I know, baby doll. And you… ...you can go in there and be sad too if you need. It’s gonna be okay, okay? I--I promise. I wouldn’t let you go here if it wasn’t gonna be, okay?”

“...Okay,” he eventually agrees, sobbing into her by this point.

She kisses him one more time on the forehead and he watches her go.

He can’t stop crying, though.

Avi scoops him up. “Whoa, hey, bud. Havin’ a rough day?”

“Grandpa died,” he cries on Avi. “I’m sorry. I’m sad like Angus is sad… ...about Grandpa… I’m  _ sorry. _ Abuelito is gone, too. I’m  _ sorry, _ Avi. I’m  _ sorry. _ Tia Tilla is gone, I--I’m so  _ sorry-- _ I’m all alone--it’s all my fault.” Now he feels like, suddenly, he’s not entirely aware of what he’s saying, almost in a daydream. “I’m so  _ sorry, _ I’m so  _ sorry…!! _ ”

“Shhshhshh,” Avi tries to soothe him. “Oh, boy. This sounds like a really… ...really awful situation, little dude, so you know what we’re gonna do? We’re gonna take you to Miss Lucretia where things’re nice and quiet. Would you like that?”

He nods, still sobbing.

They make their way through the sea of kids. Killian is roughhousing with Magnus and Merle, and then she clings to his leg. She says hi to Taako, but notices something is wrong, and when she does she lets go. Taako just pulls his hat down, embarrassed that he can’t feel okay at daycare until they get to another room and shut the door. It’s quiet.

“Avi,” Miss Lucretia says, looking up from a book, and then: “Oh, my. Taako. What happened?”

“Grandpa  _ died, _ ” he wails.

Avi sits him down in a chair across from Miss Lucretia. “Thought he needed to talk to you about it,” he explains. “Is that okay? Um.”

“Of  _ course _ it’s okay,” Lucretia insists so gently. “Of course, of course. Of  _ course. _ Thank you, Avi.”

“Not a problem, man. Feel better, little dude."

Taako doesn’t respond, and Avi goes out of the room.

“I’m so  _ sorry _ about Grandpa, Taako. I know that must be so hard for you.”

“So many gone,” he murmurs, not entirely aware. “All my  _ fault. _ ”

“Oh no,” she reassures him immediately. “No, no, no… Taako, things like this are  _ not  _ your fault. I know it’s difficult to believe  _ me,  _ but… ...no. People just--”

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” he says, flatly.

“Okay. Would you like to draw?”

“Yes,” he says.

She gives him paper and he scribbles. He scribbles fire. He scribbles Aubelito who didn’t like him, he scribbles Tia Tilla who did. He scribbles a cow, he scribbles eyes and eyes and eyes… He scribbles the umbrella, over and over and over and over. Umbrella, umbrella, umbrella. Over and over and over and--

“Taako, there’s no more space on the paper,” Lucretia finally says. “Let me get you a new one, okay?”

“Huh?” He doesn’t know how it happened. “Um… ...no. Can I… ...teach you a game? Then we can go out of this place.”

She says, “Okay.”

He teaches her about the baker and is much faster than her, which makes him smile. When they’re done, she leads him out, and people have calmed down a little. He learns that people like Magnus, Carey, and Killian can’t play at baker’s man games because it hurts. Killian thinks it’s dumb, anyway. She’s already learned it.

Merle is reading quietly.

“What’cha readin’?” He asks. He’s never been interested in a book.

“It’s about Pan,” Merle answers nonchalantly.

“Who’s he?”

“Our god. Mom says he’s  _ really _ important.”

“He sounds like what you cook with! I like pans.”

Merle huffs. “He’s not  _ pans, _ he’s Pan! Our god is better.”

“Nu-uh. Cooking’s  _ best. _ ”

“Pfft,” Merle dismisses him.

Taako doesn’t particularly care. Now he’s on the lookout for--

“Did you draw umbrellas?”

“Barold!” Taako exclaims excitedly. “There you are! I was looking for you everywhere. Yeah, I--I drew umbrellas, I guess.” He blinks at the paper like he doesn’t quite know where it came from. “I dunno.”

“Can I see?” He appears closer, then gasps. “Wow! Red. Lup likes red.”

“Really?” Taako can’t figure out why, but it makes him happy. “I’m glad. My umbrella’s red, too… That’s prob’ly why I drew so many.”

“That’s really neat, Taako,” Barry says sincerely, smiling. “I love it!”

“Wow!” 

Taako just loves Barry. Barry understands, which is probably why he insists that Barry follow him over to a corner to talk. He sits and Barry hovers, and he confides in Barry because that’s what friends do. “Grandpa died,” he says, and this time there are no tears.

“Oh, um,” Barry says, “I’m really sorry, Taako. That’s sad.”

“He was Angus’s,” Taako says. “But I had one, too. And he went gone. Are you sure you don’t remember yours?”

“No, I--I don’t. I--” For a brief moment, something Not Barry happens on Barry’s face. It’s very scary. “I can’t-- **_remember--_ ** ” His voice echoes, and Taako starts back terribly, scooting away from Barry as far as he can. “Red  _ umbrellas _ \--I can’t  **_remember!!_ ** ” Barry’s scary voice is starting to yell.

Taako doesn’t know what else to do but run, so he tries, but Avi catches him.

“Whoa there. It’s okay, little guy. His mom’ll fix it.”

“I’m  _ sorry, _ ” Taako apologizes at a mile a minute. “I’m so  _ sorry, _ I didn’t mean to--”

“ **_I DON’T KNOW,_ ** ” Barry hisses as he hovers above the ground. “ **_I DON’T--_ ** ”

Miss Lucretia comes out to soothe him. “Shh, shh… Shh, Barry. It’s Lucretia. You know me, don’t you? You remember me, and you remember how we take those deep breaths when we get upset.”

“ **_NO--_ ** ” He starts to insist, growling, and then looks at her. “I’m  _ confused… _ ”

“I know you are, Barry. That’s all right. We’re calming down. Taking a deep breath in… ...like this, you see? Then out… ...it’s not so bad. Remembering where we are. In the classroom.”

“No--” He insists, blinks out of view, then blinks back in. “No, I--I don’t--know?”

“It’s okay, my child. Shh. You’re perfectly all right.”

“Um,” his voice is small again. “Sorry.”

“Shh… ...no, no, no. No… ...you’re okay.”

When Avi sets him down, Taako goes over to Merle, who’s with Davenport now, and Magnus. “What… ...what’s wrong with Barry?”

“We don’t know,” Merle whispers. “But one day, I think I can fix it.”

“Maybe he just needs a dog,” Magnus suggests.

“He needs more’n a  _ dog, _ Magnus. Don’t be  _ dumb. _ ”

“Davenport,” agrees Davenport.

After enough time passes, Taako approaches Barry again, somewhat nervous. “Hiya, Barold.”

“Hey, Taako,” Barry says. He sounds tired. “Sorry ‘bout that. I… I dunno. It… ...it happens to me.”

“It’s okay,” Taako reassures him. “I don’t mind.”

“I don’t feel very good, so… I’m not fun.”

“It’s okay,” Taako says again. “Me neither. Wanna be quiet together?”

“Yeah.”

They do that.

When June arrives, Taako is curled up and asleep by his friend.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was this chapter good? probably not, haha. i... don't... feel great about it, oops. BUT HERE IT IS. MORE EXCITING THINGS SOON. thank you so much for all the support and love always. <3;;; bluh.


	14. Chapter 12, pt. 1

On the day of Taako’s field trip, he wakes up bright and early.

Angus was sad for a few days and went to something called a “funeral,” which Taako never quite figured out but knew he shouldn’t ask. There was a lot of sleeping, like June said, and a lot of taking Taako to daycare. Lots of play, lots of learning, lots of being happy and knowing it and clapping hands. It’s been a lot of things, but today is the most important of all, and despite everything that’s happened, he wakes up with a big smile on his face.

Because Angus is going to sign the paper and go with him to see bumper cars.

He has no idea what they are, but they sound so _exciting,_ and he’s been looking forward to this for so long. He practically races out of his room with the umbrella, and almost trips and falls down some stairs. Angus tells him to be careful, which is great news because it means Angus is up! He’s in the kitchen! He chirrups Angus’s name with glee as he tries his very hardest to go down the stairs so careful, and then he runs and gives his legs a hug.

“Angus! You’re in the kitchen!” He’s smiling so wide today.

“I sure am, buddy,” Angus is grinning real wide. “And I’m making your favorite!”

“Loops?” His eyes widen, but he sees no box on the table.

“No, silly,” Angus teases, “your _other_ favorite.”

“ _Waffles!!_ ” Taako yells in glee, bouncing up and down. “Oh, good! Is there any… ...um, way f’r _me_ to help?”

“As a matter of fact, there is. You wanna stir some of the batter? But no tasting, okay?”

“Okay,” he chirps obediently, and Angus sets the bowl down in front of him. He gets to stir and stir, just like he might help Tia stir, and it makes him so happy he can hardly contain himself. When he’s done, Angus takes it and says that’s _very_ good, Taako, and he can go wait at the table.

He does, kicking his legs and humming his “Happy Angus” song, about Angus being happy today. “It’s been awhile since you made waffles,” he points out.

“It sure has, bud, but I had to make a _special meal_ today. Because today’s a very special day for you!”

“We’re gonna go see bumper cars,” he sings, jumping up and down in his seat. “We’re gonna go see ‘em and whatever they are, it’s good, Angus is going with me to Miss Lucretia’s class…”

“That’s right, Taako. I’m so glad to be going with you! Even though I can’t all the time.”

“No, not all the time,” Taako agrees, barely even paying attention, “but today!”

“Yeah! You bet.”

When he finally gets the waffles he _wolfs_ them down as quickly as he can manage, getting incredibly syrup sticky but not really caring because the bath _barely_ poses a challenge anymore. He’s so excited he’s all but zipping through the steps, and June is so happy to see him getting so clean and being so excited for his big day.

She’s not going, though. She’s helping Angus tend to some of Grandpa’s things today, and she thinks it’ll be good for her boys to get out and have some time together. She still packed both of them a lunch, just in case, which Taako thinks is pretty good (it’s PB&J, which he hasn’t had much before), and she gives Taako a big warm hug and a kiss before he goes. He thinks about how he used to be so scared of the hugs and kisses -- he was so silly. With June, it’s natural.

Maybe she _is_ his mom after all. His mama? Maybe.

Which would make Angus his--well.

Well, he doesn’t have much time to think about it because soon they are off to daycare. Taako is so excited he’s holding the umbrella and nearly waving it around as he talks, which Angus tells him not to do because he could _hurt_ himself or someone else. Taako takes this very seriously and is careful with the red umbrella from then on, keeping it nice in his lap.

“Angus,” he asks for the gazillionth time, “What’s a _bumper car?_ I’m _so excited!!_ ”

“I know you are, you little rascal,” Angus says affectionately, and he ruffles Taako’s hair. Usually, he might not like this so much, but it’s _Angus_ anyway, and he’s still careful to help him straighten his hat. “But I’m not gonna tell you!”

Taako pouts now. “Why not?”

“Because that’ll ruin the surprise, silly.”

“Pfft,” he scoffs, bluntly. “Who _needs_ surprises anyway, I don’t, I mean--OH, WE’RE _HERE!!_ Angus, look at THAT!!” Taako crows, so quick to snatch up his umbrella and bound off the wagon, over to something else. It looks like a bigger wagon, only different and yellow. It says words on the side, but Taako can’t tell.

Before Angus can reply or catch up, Miss Lucretia is informing him. “That is the school bus, Taako! How we’ll be going to Goldcliff for our field trip. Did you get Angus or June to sign your permission slip?”

“Umm,” Taako falters. “Oh, yes! Yes, yes, _yes_ , I did, right Angus??” He turns, beaming, to the adult who’s just managed to catch up.

“Sure thing, bud,” Angus says, catching his breath as he rifles through a pink backpack and produces the slip. “Also, I’m assuming parents and guardians are allowed to… ...er, come with? I hope… ...that’s okay. I’d just like to keep an eye on him.”

“Oh, of _course_ ,” Lucretia reassures him. “Parents are highly _encouraged_ to attend our field trips! It’s refreshing to see someone willing to do so. Besides, it is rather fun for _all_ ages.” She smiles slightly.

Taako spots a familiar face. “Avi! Are you coming?”

“‘fraid not, little guy,” Avi says apologetically. “I’m gonna stay behind with the other kids who couldn’t get permission, but you have a _blast,_ okay?”

“Do you know what bumper cars are, Avi?”

“Sure do,” he grins. “And you’re gonna _love_ ‘em.”

He’d ask more about it, but it’s time for him to get on the bus with Angus, so Angus helps him on. He doesn’t recognize the person at the head of the school bus, and they look kind of… ...not there in some sort of strange way, but he greets them gleefully. “Hello there! I’m Taako. From TV.”

“Hey, there, little man,” the person says back at him. “My name’s Robbie, and I’m like, here to take you kids on a totally legal journey and stuff like that! Ready to _party?_ ”

“Um, no,” Taako admits. “It’s not a party. It’s a field trip. To bumper cars.”

Robbie laughs. “Sure is, little dude. High five. Want some Pringles?”

Taako peers into the cylinder.

“No, thank you,” Angus says loudly behind him, ushering him away from the front of the bus. He has a weird and almost disapproving look on his face, so Taako trusts that maybe Robbie is too weird or something. As they try to find somewhere to sit, Taako’s eyes land on an exchange at the front of the bus.

“ _Angus,_ ” he grabs his shirt sleeve with excitement. “Angus, that’s my friend! The one I said about, Barold! He’s different too and he’s really good! Just _look_ at him. He’s great.”

Lucretia is having a conversation with him at the front of the bus, and both Taako and Angus are trying to pay attention. “He sure is… ...interesting, buddy.”

“Yup. I hope he sits by me!”

“Good, ‘cuz I _wanna_ be by you,” says Barry, as he appears out of thin air. Even Angus is startled and jumps, which makes Taako giggle. “But it kinda seems like this guy is sitting next to you… ...Is this Angus?”

“Oh, yes,” Taako confirms happily. “It is! Barry, this is Angus, the greatest detective in the whole entire world, and my favorite!”

“Wow, um,” Barry says, shyly, “um, hi.”

“Hello, Barry,” says Angus. “Sorry I… ...um, jumped for a second.”

“‘S’okay,” Barry says nonchalantly. “That happens sometimes.”

“Does it?”

“Yeah. Anyway, Lucretia almost didn’t let me go… ...she was too _worried_ about me.” Taako can tell he’s pouting, listening sympathetically. “But I’ll be _fine!_ ‘S’not like I have those scary temper tantrum mem’ry thingies all the time. I should be able to have fun, too.”

“Yeah, you should! I’m glad she let you go, pff. It’d be silly not to.”

“I know!”

“So Lucretia’s your mother?”

“Oh, uh,” Barry says sheepishly in Angus’s direction, “kind of. Yes, sir. And Davenport’s.”

“They don’t remember _either,_ Angus,” Taako whispers excitedly.

“Huh,” is what Angus has to say. He sure is thinking about something pretty intensely, though. “Barry, do you think you might be from Phandalin? Is that where Lucretia found you, somewhere near there?”

“Um… I don’t know.”

“Angus,” Taako gives him a Look, “he doesn’t know, and that’s okay. That’s what you always say!”

Angus’s face flushes. “You’re totally right, buddy. Sorry about that, Barry.”

“‘S’okay,” Barry shrugs his spectral shoulders. “Anyway, I don’t really need to sit, so I’ll just float near you guys!”

“Okay!”

When the bus starts moving, Taako is very proud of himself for only being a little bit scared. It’s so loud because everyone is _so excited,_ but he’s excited too, and he doesn’t mind. Taako tries to tell Barry about I Spy, but Barry is already so good that he’s already _heard_ of it, and Angus gladly plays with them. Angus spies something red (the umbrella, which Barry and Taako both guess at _nearly_ the same time), Barry spies something white (snow outside), and when it’s Taako’s turn he spies the green of Angus’s bowtie today. It’s terrific fun.

After a little while of this, a face peeks out over the seat in front of them. Taako recognizes instantly that it’s Magnus, and when he grins he’s lost even a new tooth. “What’cha doin’?” He starts to ask Taako and then notices Angus. “Oh, hi! Are you Angus?”

Angus smiles brightly, adjusting his glasses a little. “That’s exactly right. Taako’s talked about me, huh? I’m guessing you’re Magnus.”

Magnus gasps. “That’s _exactly_ my name! Wow, you’re right, Taako. He’s a really good detective.”

Angus laughs, but Taako is completely serious. “I know, huh? The _best._ ”

“You’ve been bragging about me, bud?” Angus asks playfully, and Taako can tell from his smile that this makes him really happy.

“Maybe,” Taako murmurs, suddenly just a teensy bit shy and adjusting his hat. “A little. But it’s just ‘cuz you’re good.”

“Aw, Taako. I’m--I’m glad I can be good for you, buddy.”

“Me, too,” Taako admits. He turns his attention back to Magnus, who’s drumming his fingers loudly against the back of the seat. “Where’s Carey, Magnus?”

“She couldn’t come,” Magnus frowns. “Her brother’s watchin’ her ‘n’ he said no.”

“Aww.”

“ _But,_ ” Magnus says excitedly, grinning even wider than before. “Merle’s here! Right next to me. Say hi, Merle.”

“Hi, Merle,” Merle teases. Taako can only see the back of his head.

Magnus rolls his eyes. “He’s reading his dumb book again.”

“It’s not _dumb,_ ” Merle insists. “It’s the Good Book.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It means it’s really _good,_ genius. I bet you can’t even read yet!”

“I can _too,_ ” Magnus argues. “See? Watch.” He takes the book out of Merle’s hands, ignoring the little dwarf’s protests, and plays keep-away with it, sticking his tongue out. “Once, there was a big dummy named Pan, and Merle never stopped talking about it. He just talked and talked about it all day long, all the time, like he talked about plants and stuff. The end.”

“Gimme _that,_ ” Merle huffs, snatching it back. “That’s not even what it _says,_ Magnus.”

“Yuh- _huh._ ”

“Nuh- _uh!!_ It _doesn’t._ ”

“What’s it say _really?_ ” Taako asks, trying to lean over far enough to see.

“Oh, y’know,” Merle shrugs. “Just stuff about how Pan’s awesome. ‘cuz he _is._ He’s the best one.”

“That’s very neat that you know how to read, Merle,” Angus compliments him. “I read, too, when I was a little boy like you.”

“I can read, too,” Barry informs Angus.

“Really? Wow, Barry. That’s so good!”

Taako is starting to feel awfully left out, pulling the brim of his hat a little over his eyes. “I can’t read,” he murmurs, “an’ I don’t _wanna,_ ‘cuz books’re stupid ‘n’ dumb. For dummies. An’ nerds.”

“Pfft, _yeah,_ ” Magnus agrees. “Taako’s right. Books’re _dumb._ ”

The little elf peeks out from underneath his hat slightly, raising an eyebrow. “You just said you could read ‘n’ everything, Magnus.”

“I know,” Magnus says. “I was lying.”

“Oh.” Taako huffs a little. “That’s okay, then.”

“It’s okay that you can’t read yet,” Angus reassures them both. “But one day, _both_ you boys are gonna have to learn. It’s _very_ important.”

Taako sticks out his tongue. “Gross.”

When Miss Lucretia speaks up next, all the kids turn their attention to her, even though she’s not as loud as the rest of the bus. Everything quiets down real quick as they all stare at her like she’s their whole world, and Taako even helpfully informs Angus that he has to _pay attention_ when Miss Lucretia talks, okay? Angus very seriously agrees that he will, focusing his eyes up nice and good toward the front of the bus.

“Is everyone excited to go play bumper cars?”

The entire class shouts in agreement, with the exception of a lone “Davenport!” near the front of the bus.

“Very good,” Lucretia reassures them all, her smile small but genuine today. “I’m glad to hear it. We’re almost in Goldcliff, and I know that’s _so_ exciting--” She pauses to let a few kids chatter amongst one another. “--but we know the rules. Everyone must be on their _best_ behavior, okay?”

“Okay,” Taako crows with the rest of the class, clapping his hands.

“Very good. We know what that means, too. No hitting--I’m looking at you, Magnus.”

He pouts, slumping down in his seat.

“Clothes stay _on_ at all times, don’t they, Merle?”

Merle doesn’t look too pleased to be singled out, himself. “Yes, Miss Lucretia. But what if--”

“No ‘what ifs,’ Merle. Your shirt stays on, okay?”

“‘kay.”

“And we always make sure to stay close to one another, so we don’t get lost,” Miss Lucretia instructs everyone. “This one is _very_ important. There are a lot of things you’re probably going to want to see, but you can’t go unless everyone goes, okay? All eyes on me.”

Taako tries very hard to pay attention, but eventually, he’s so beside himself with excitement he can barely stand it. Everyone sings a song that he’s never heard before, about wheels on a bus, and he’s just so happy and sure everything is going to be _so_ wonderful. Angus tells him the wheels are some of what helps the bus go, and he nods along, looking out the window for any sign of what might be a bumper car.

When they finally arrive, Magnus is the first to rush off the bus, and Miss Lucretia is already instructing him to come back. Angus and Taako are off second to last, followed by Barry and Davenport. Before they truly leave, Miss Lucretia makes sure she’s on eye-level with both of her boys, looking very serious. It makes Taako curious.

“Barry,” she asks, voice hushed. “Are you _sure_ you’re okay to do this?”

Barry groans. “Yeah, ’m okay. Just lemme go see bumper cars with my friends.”

“Okay, but if you start to feel overwhelmed or confused--”

“I’ll take a deep breath,” Barry mumbles, looking embarrassed. “My _friend_ is watching, Mom. I wanna go play.”

“And you will,” Miss Lucretia reassures him. “I just want you to _promise_ me. I just want you to be okay, because I--because I care about you, that’s all.”

“I know, Mom,” he murmurs. “I’m fine, see? Just like the other kids.”

“Like the other kids,” Miss Lucretia echoes, and she gets that look like Angus does when he’s thinking about something very important. After a moment of this, she straightens up. “Okay. Then we’re ready to begin our field trip! Remember to stay by me. Let’s all hold hands so we don’t get lost, okay?”

Taako loyally holds hands with Angus. When Barry appears beside them all again, Angus doesn’t jump this time, and everyone makes sure not to indicate that they heard any of what Miss Lucretia was saying to him. When Taako grabs his other hand, he starts, because his grip is so strong.

“Holy moly. You’re _strong,_ Magnus.”

“I know.”

“Don’t _tell_ ‘im that,” Merle protests, holding onto Davenport’s hand. “He’ll make you feel how strong he is all day long!”

“What was Miss Lucretia talkin’ to you about, Barry?” Magnus asks outright, ruining what everyone else is trying not to say. Taako wonders how much Barry will tell him, ears perking up curiously even when he can’t help it.

Barry seems embarrassed. “ _Nothing,_ okay? She’s just silly. I… I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“You don’t _have_ to talk about it, Barold,” Taako reassures him. “She _is_ pretty silly.”

“Yeah!” Magnus is always ready to agree.

Barry smiles.

“Come along now, children,” Miss Lucretia says, and in an instant, she’s no longer so silly as she leads them all through this new place none of them have ever been.

It’s maybe one of the biggest buildings Taako has ever seen, and it looks so neat. He can’t read the words but they’re big and bold and shiny, and he almost forgets to hold hands in all the excitement. Magnus does, too, but Angus reminds both of them and soon everyone’s on their way, taking it all in. It’s loud, which makes Taako anxious, but all around there seem to be different booths and games. A sweet smell hangs in the air, which makes him salivate, and he tugs on Angus’s arm to see if he can get something soon, please.

“Maybe soon, bud,” Angus whispers. “But we better pay attention to Miss Lucretia.”

“There will be time for that, don’t you worry,” Miss Lucretia reassures them all.

“That’s cotton candy,” Merle points out helpfully. “D’you ever have cotton candy, Taako?”

“No,” he gasps as he watches the machine, just briefly, and they walk along. “How’s it candy? It looks like a cloud!”

“I dunno,” Merle shrugs.

“Davenport,” Davenport says knowingly, and Merle nods along with him in agreement. Taako looks at Magnus like he has no idea what’s being said, and Magnus shrugs like he also has no idea.

A popping noise is heard from someplace, and Taako starts, grabbing Angus’s hand, but he’s told it’s just a balloon. Kids older than them even are all around with others, and some people are holding very big stuffed animals. It’s a lot to take in, and Taako doesn’t know whether to be entertained or frightened, so he just keeps hold of everyone. He also tries to keep a careful eye on Barry, who is being awfully quiet, just in case.

“Looks fun, huh, Barold?”

“Huh? Um, yeah,” Barry says, and Taako hopes he’s just distracted by all the different things there are to see. “Real fun. Lup would like this place.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, she--she really likes loud fun things. Um.”

“Is she happy we brought my umbrella? Angus always has it when I don’t have it, see!”

“That’s right, I sure do,” confirms Angus. “D’you like Taako’s umbrella, Barry?”

“Um,” Barry stammers a little. “Well, not me, but my friend Lup--”

Magnus groans again.

“Be _quiet,_ Magnus,” Taako hisses. “He can talk about Lup if he _wants_ to, even if she’s not real.”

“She’s real, though,” Barry insists, floating along.

It only occurs to Taako just now that _everyone_ is looking at Barry. Very many of the kids around them seem like they’re actually _scared_ of him, as well as the parents, and it makes Taako feel a sort of protective thing deep inside. He feels like maybe, he would feel this way for Angus and June, or it’s possible he has felt it somewhere before. But he doesn’t know, and all he knows is that he doesn’t like people staring at his friend like this, so he makes sure to stay on Barry’s side.

“If Barry says Lup is real,” Taako says somewhat forcefully, “she’s real. Okay, guys?”

Barry looks surprised that Taako’s defending him. “Um, thanks, Taako. A-anyway, um… ...yeah, my friend Lup, she… ...she’s not here right now. But she likes umbrellas.”

“She sounds really great, Barry.” Angus is the best. Taako knows it then.

“She’s _so_ cool,” Barry insists. “Actually, you know what I found out about Lup, Taako? She’s--she’s an elf, like you, I think.”

“Oh! Oh, you know what _I_ was thinking about Lup, Barry,” Taako says, and again he gets so excited that he nearly lets go of hands and is reminded not to. “I, I was thinking--I was thinking--that Lup probably _does_ like loops!”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah! Because, because,” he babbles, and Angus laughs a little at how excited he is. “Because, if something was called a ‘taako,’ I would like it. So Lup likes loops too, see?”

“Huh! I bet you’re right.”

“Great,” Magnus whispers to Merle and Davenport, just loud enough to be heard. “Now they’ll _both_ talk about Lup all the time.”

Taako doesn’t even mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You're six? I'm about to send three six year olds into a building?"
> 
> Captain Bane had no idea how close he was. brief shoutout to TAZscripts on Tumblr, because that place is my entire life these days.
> 
> um, hopefully this chapter was good!! i always get nervous when i post, but it's always worth it, because you guys are such a fantastic little audience. all of your comments and kudos truly make my day and inspire me even when i'm not feeling too great, and the great thing about this story is that it has the potential to turn my mood around just to write it. :3 thank you always.
> 
> also, i am so sorry i put Robbie in charge of a busload of children. it seems highly unsafe. i was just kind of going for an Otto from the Simpsons kind of vibe, i... idk. it's just like Bart, is basically what i'm saying. 
> 
> new chapter will be up soon, i hope! going to a wedding tomorrow... love you all. <3


	15. Chapter 12, pt. 2

There is a problem.

To get to the bumper cars, they’ll have to get on an elevator. Taako’s never been on an elevator before, but as soon as it opens up, so big and accommodating for everyone, he feels scared. He wants to be brave to go see the bumper cars, but his heart goes  _ thump-thump-thump _ so fast in his chest, and suddenly he’s hanging back behind everyone else.

“Taako,  _ c’mon, _ ” says Magnus, trying to pull him in. Taako shakes his head no and pulls his hat down over his face, backing up a little, so Magnus shrugs and rushes into the elevator. Merle tries to reassure him that it’s all okay, and even  _ he _ goes on ahead onto the elevator, but Taako just keeps shaking his head, unable to budge.

“Taako?” Miss Lucretia asks. “Are you all right?”

“Elevators aren’t scary, y’know,” says Barry, trying to be comforting.

“Really?” He peeks an eye out from under the hat.

“Yeah! I’ve been on ‘em  _ tons _ of times before.”

“Angus?” Taako looks to him now, eyes wide and fearful.

“You’re gonna be just fine, buddy. Elevators are no big deal.” Angus is always the smartest and knows the best things. “You can hold my hand if you want.”

This is enough to make Taako feel safe, so he grabs Angus’s hand, takes a deep breath, and goes inside the elevator. He’s not really sure how he knows what an elevator is, but he knows he hates it, and he holds onto Angus as tight as he can and closes his eyes.

“You’re doing  _ so good, _ Taako. Being so brave.”

He knows it’s true because Angus says it. Angus has him in one hand and his umbrella in the other. Angus is smart, and doesn’t lie to him, and is Taako’s favorite in the whole world. So he just tries to trust it, even as he feels like he might cry, and the elevator goes up.

“Almost there, Taako,” Miss Lucretia reassures him. Her voice is very soft and friendly, and he likes knowing that there are two adults who know he can get through the horror of the elevator.

When it finally opens, Taako almost rushes out (and so does Magnus), but they’re both held back by Angus and Miss Lucretia, who reminds them that everyone needs to hold hands and follow  _ her, _ okay? Obediently, Taako grabs Angus’s hand and Magnus’s hand and waits for Miss Lucretia before they head out again.

“What’s bumper cars, d’you think, guys?” Taako dares to ask everybody.

“Davenport,” informs Davenport.

“Yeah!” Merle agrees. “They’re exactly like that!”

“Well, I, um,” Barry adds to the conversation. “ _ I _ think it’s a pretty good chance they might be, um, cars? That bump together? But that doesn’t sound right, ‘cuz it doesn’t seem too safe…”

“Well, whatever it is,” Magnus gasps, stopping in his tracks. “It’s definitely not  _ that. _ ”

All of them turn to see what he’s looking at with such awe. It’s a track and there are cars on it, going really  _ fast. _ None of them are bumping into each other, so it’s easy to deduce that it’s not bumper cars, but it looks so  _ cool. _ As Taako stands on his tippy-toes to get a better look, a girl wearing a helmet comes up to them.

She’s only a little older, but she seems so  _ tall. _ So  _ grown up. _ She has her face painted like a black bird. “What’re  _ you _ babies doing here? You’re not old enough to ride the go-karts. Go play bumper cars or something.”

“Sloane,” a girl scolds her and walks up to them. She has her face painted like some kind of sheep, maybe. “Don’t be mean to the little kids.”

“I’m  _ not, _ ” the girl named Sloane argues, “but they can’t play here. They’re not  _ allowed! _ ”

The girl with the sheep face rolls her eyes. “Well, they’re not  _ playing. _ They’re  _ watching. _ And they should, ‘cuz it’s pretty dang cool!” She leans down to be a little more on their level, smiling. “Hi, my name’s Hurley, and this is Sloane. Sorry she’s being kind of mean to you.”

Sloane huffs a little.

“Hi, Hurley,” Magnus says with all the friendliness in the world. “I’m MAGNUS!!”

She laughs. “Hi, Magnus!”

He leans over to her, trying to whisper. “Your friend says we can’t ride go-karts. Why? It looks  _ cool. _ ”

“You’re too little,” she says. “Sorry, Magnus.”

“ _ Aw. _ ”

“But if you want,” she leans in a little more, smiling mischievously, “we can still have fun with you at the bumper cars soon!”

Sloane shoots her a questioning look. “But Hurley, those are for the little kids. We won’t even get to race or anything.”

“No,” she says, “but we  _ will _ get to have a lot of fun! C’mon, Sloane. Let’s do it.”

“What about Bane? He’s gonna be  _ mad _ if we wander off.”

“So we’re not wandering off,” she says simply. “We’re just ‘splorin’.”

“Hey, hey, also,” Magnus asks, nearly hopping up and down. “How d’you get your  _ face _ painted like that, Hurley?”

“Huh? Oh, you mean the ram thing? Um, there’s a face-painting booth over there!”

She points it out. Taako, Merle, and Magnus all gasp at the same time.

“Okay, but I sorta barely have a face,” says Barry, “and um, my mom’s gonna be pretty upset if we don’t follow her--”

“You are kinda different, huh?” Hurley asks. “I like it.”

“Me too,” admits Sloane. “It’s kinda cool.”

“Oh,” stammers Barry. “Um, thank you, but--”

“Taako!” Angus shouts.

Taako is already running for the face-painting booth with Magnus and Merle, though, excited to look like a mongoose. He climbs up in the chair to get it done and tells the person what he wants before Angus can catch up, and soon Magnus and Merle are doing the same. Magnus wants his face to look like a bear, and Merle wants his face to look like an owl.

Angus catches up with them. “Taako, you  _ know _ you’re supposed to be following Miss Lucretia.” He doesn’t sound happy.

“My mom’s gonna be  _ mad, _ you guys,” Barry appears beside Angus, who is holding Davenport’s hand.

“We just wanna do this real fast,” Taako says dismissively. “It’s neat!”

Suddenly they hear Miss Lucretia’s voice. “Neat as it may be, Taako, I’m afraid all of you broke the rules. That’s not good at all, is it?”

“We’ll be done in a second,” Taako says. “I  _ promise. _ ”

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t trust you all to play bumper cars if you are going to break the  _ rules, _ can I? You were supposed to follow them.”

Magnus whines. “Miss Lucretia, that’s not  _ fair. _ ”

“Yeah, Miss Lucretia, we were only gone for a  _ second, _ ” says Merle. “ _ And _ I haven’t even taken off my shirt yet!”

“Look, see?” Taako hops out of the chair. “It’s done! And now I’m a mongoose. So now I can play bumper cars.”

Angus shakes his head. “‘fraid not, little guy. You’re in a time out.”

This is the most unfair thing Taako has ever heard in his entire life. “A  _ time out? _ ”

“Yup,” says Angus, unflinching. “You don’t get to play bumper cars until we go sit down and think about why it’s important to listen.  _ Especially _ to me or Miss Lucretia.”

“That’s exactly right,” says Miss Lucretia sternly. “No bumper cars until we all sit and remember the rules.”

“But that’s not  _ fair, _ ” Taako protests, hiding behind his hat. “I wanna play  _ bumper cars!! _ I  _ hate _ both of you. I hate you, I  _ hate you!! _ ” He stomps and cries and it feels like the end of the world right there.

“Taako, buddy, I’m sorry, but you have to learn.”

“ _ No. No. FINE. _ ” He sits down on the floor, crossing his legs and arms, tears spilling down his cheeks as he hides all the way under his hat. “C’mon, everybody. Let’s listen about the  _ dumb stupid rules _ so we can play.” He tugs Merle and Magnus down with him.

“Am I in trouble, Mom?” Barry asks.

“No, Barry. You did not break the rules. Boys, listen… I know this is  _ so _ exciting and so fun, okay? I know it’s hard, because you want to do everything all at once. But I have these rules in place to keep you all  _ safe. _ If you wander off from me or Angus, you could get lost, and not know how to find your way back again.”

“Lost?” Taako asks quietly, peeking out a little from under the hat. He thinks of the time in Phandalin and shivers.

“Yes, Taako. Lost. Being lost is very dangerous, and I know you’d like to stay with me and Angus, wouldn’t you? Instead of not being able to find us again.”

Taako gets so so quiet, for some reason. “Yes.”

“So that’s why we must follow the rules, okay? So that you can stay with Angus, and Merle and Magnus can stay with their families, and we don’t lose you out and about somewhere. Does everyone understand?”

They all nod solemnly. “Yes, Miss Lucretia.”

“Very good,” says Lucretia. “Then let’s play bumper cars!”

Everyone jumps to their feet and scream with delight, following her loyally over to the bumper cars. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh this chapter is short i knowwwww but THERE'S JUST SO MUCH... GOING ON... IN THIS ARC that i need to convey ;A; i hope it's still good there'll DEF be more later but i wanted to post this now idk. <3 love u all!


	16. Chapter 12, pt. 3

There’s a problem, though.

Taako  _ really _ is trying so hard to be good so he can go play bumper cars, and they’re all following Miss Lucretia and Angus (who’s right with Barry and Davenport), so what happens next is  _ not _ his fault. 

It starts when these human kids with their faces painted like sharks get in the way. And they  _ are _ kids. They’re a little bit older than Taako and his friends, but they’re still small and  _ not _ that great, which is why when they start picking on Merle it’s  _ really _ unfair.

“Hol’ it right there, buddy!” One of ‘em says, stepping right in front of Merle. “You’re too  _ small _ to ride the bumper cars.”

“Yeah,” the other one pipes up, “you’re too  _ small! _ ”

Both boys want to rush to Merle’s defense, it’s obvious, but he regards them super calmly. “I’m  _ allowed, _ ” he reassures them in gentle tones. “My teacher Lucretia  _ says. _ Also, my god does, too. His name’s Pan and he  _ wants _ me to bumper cars because he wants me to be happy.”

The shark boys look at each other, clearly confused. “Is that bread?”

Now  _ Merle _ is confused. “What? No! He’s not  _ bread.  _ He’s my  _ god. _ ‘n’ when I die, good stuff’s gonna happen because he loves me. And while I’m  _ living, _ he wants me to play bumper cars. So that’s--"

One of the boys scoffs. “Well, I’ll  _ never _ die! I’m too  _ strong. _ ”

“Yeah,” the other one pipes up beside him, “he’s  _ real strong! _ ”

“ _ My _ mommy told me I’ll  _ never _ die,” the first boy says, sizing Merle up, “so that makes me  _ better’n _ you.”

“He’s  _ real _ strong,” the second kid reiterates.

Another kid, again with his face painted like a shark, seems to notice them and walks up to Merle. He folds his arms, clearly trying to look intimidating. Magnus tries to rush to Merle’s aid, but Merle shakes his head. “Hey, buddy, why don’t you  _ scram. _ You seem okay ‘n’ everythin’, but you’re too small for bumper cars, ‘n’ that’s  _ it. _ ”

Taako and Magnus are both  _ rapt, _ looking at Merle to see what he’ll do, but he’s as peaceful and calm as always. “Your mommy is  _ wrong, _ ” he says with all the confidence in the world, and Taako and Magnus gasp, because this is a bold card to play. It’s a lot to say someone’s  _ parents _ are wrong, and they can’t help but look at him like he’s lost it.

“Nu-uh,” the first boy says. “Nu-uh, she’s  _ never _ wrong!”

“Sorry,” Merle says calmly, almost sympathetically. “But she is. I have a book about it, that  _ my _ mommy got me, and it says stuff about that. And it says… ...that if you don’t respect Pan, bad stuff’ll happen to you. Like--”

Right then, a train passes through nearby. It’s not a  _ real _ train, and there’s only kids and a few grown-ups on it, not like the one Taako went on with Angus and June. It’s small. But it looks interesting, so everyone’s attention is too captivated with it for a moment to continue the conversation. One of the boys looks really nervous at the sight and sound of the train, though, and Merle notices.

“Like that train’ll run you over!”

“How?” The first boy asks incredulously. “We’re not even  _ near _ it.”

“Ask Pan before he makes it happen,” Merle shrugs, “not me.”

Right then, the train makes  _ noises, _ and it startles Taako so much he jumps, but it  _ also _ startles that boy. Merle nods like that was  _ his _ doing, or Pan’s doing at least, and the boy stares at him in absolute awe. “Wow, you have  _ train powers. _ ”

“Not  _ me, _ ” Merle corrects him, “but that does sound pretty neat.”

Taako has to agree.

“It’s  _ Pan, _ ” Merle insists, “and he says you have to let me play bumper cars!”

“Fine,  _ okay, _ ” the first boy blubbers, instantly caving.

“We’ll do  _ anything, _ ” the second boy stammers.

“I dunno,” the third boy says, looking suspicious. “My mommy says we’re Lutheran, so I don’t think that involves Pan.”

Right then, there’s another loud train noise, and Taako jumps again but not as much and not as bad. The second boy, the littlest one, jumps extra high, looking  _ much _ more scared than any of the other children around him, and it’s almost funny.

“L-Look,” he stammers, close to tears, “you guys do what you  _ wanna. _ I’m gettin’  _ outta here. _ ”

He bolts, and when he does, one of his friends calls after him. “Hey, Jerry, get back--oh, Jerry. Jerry’s real scared of trains; you  _ scared _ him!”

“Actually,” Merle says, so patient and sure of himself, “ _ Pan _ scared him, not me.”

“Well, either way,” he says, “I’m gonna--”

“What’s your  _ name, _ anyway?” Merle asks, sounding genuinely curious.

Magnus sighs. Making sure Merle doesn’t get beat up is tougher than any of them thought.

“I’m  _ Jerreeeeee, _ ” he says anyway, blinking and clearly bewildered. “But it doesn’t matter. Get out of here or I’m gonna  _ beat you up. _ ” He pulls out a stick from somewhere, and this is all Merle needs to feel okay running back behind Magnus.

Taako expects Magnus to defend Merle, and it’s clear Merle expects that too, but instead, Magnus goes right up to the kid with the shark face. “If I join your club, can I play bumper cars?”

The remaining kids blink up at him, clearly caught off-guard. “Yeah, I… I guess. Got any arcade tokens?”

“I don’t know what that is,” Magnus says honestly, “but I have a goldfish!”

“Lemme hold ‘im, then!”

“He’s at home ‘cuz I wasn’t allowed to bring ‘im,” Magnus says sadly, “but you would love him.”

“Yeah,”  _ Jerreeeeee  _ agrees. “I probably would. Okay, you can join, but only if I get your fish sometimes.”

“ _ Jerreeeeee, _ ” his friend pipes up, “you’re not even club  _ president!  _ You can’t just  _ say _ who  _ joins. _ ”

This seems to occur to  _ Jerreeeeee,  _ but he looks huffy about it if anything. “Yeah, well, you can’t  _ either, _ ‘cuz you’re not  _ either. _ ”

His friend crosses his arms. “Hmph.”

“Can I  _ meet _ him? He’d prob’ly like me.”

“Yeah, prob’ly,”  _ Jerreeeeee _ muses. “Okay, lemme go get ‘im then. You stay ‘n’ then I can bring ‘im here ‘n’ he can see if you can join.”

“‘kay.”

Taako watches him go, and as he does he starts to get impatient. He’s been watching all of this go down, but  _ mostly _ he wants to play bumper cars, and these shark kids are stupid and most definitely not the bosses of  _ any _ of them (because that’s Miss Lucretia, if  _ anyone _ ). Plus, if Magnus joins  _ he _ can play bumper cars, but what about the  _ rest _ of ‘em?

So he says the first thing that comes to his mind, stepping out in front of Magnus with all his confidence. “I bet your friend’s so scared of trains that he had to  _ poop his pants. _ ”

Magnus nudges him and whispers. “What’re you  _ doing? _ I’m trying to get us to bumper cars.”

“No,” Merle argues, “you’re trying to get  _ you _ to bumper cars.”

Taako doesn’t pay either of them any mind, more focused now on the remaining kid. He puffs out his chest and looks as confident as possible, fixing the brim of his hat so the kid can only see part of his face. He gets as up close to him as possible.

“ _ What’d _ you say?”

“You  _ heard _ me,” Taako says, and he feels very calm and cool. “‘Oh, no, I gotta go  _ poop _ ‘cuz I’m so  _ scared! _ ’ That’s what he  _ sounds _ like. You guys are  _ soooo _ dumb, I bet you--I bet you go with each other to the  _ potty. _ ”

“You take that  _ back, _ ” the kid growls, getting even more up in his face.

“Nope. You hold his hand an’  _ everythin’. _ ‘cuz you both just learned how to  _ go. _ ”

“Taako,” Merle whispers now, “what are you  _ doing? _ I think the train kid’s comin’ back.”

Magnus is totally with him now, though, and Taako can’t help but smile and feel riled up with his giggles cheering him on. “I dunno, Merle,” Magnus finally manages even though he’s beside himself with laughter, “that was  _ really _ funny! He said  _ ‘poop’ _ is why.”

“Yeah, I heard ‘im,” Merle admits reluctantly, crossing his arms.

“And then he--” Magnus manages, and his laugh is loud and joyful, “--and then he talked about the  _ potty. _ ”

“Yeah,” Merle sighs. “Yeah, it was pretty good. But we’re not here to be funny. We’re here to play  _ bumper cars. _ And the kid’s comin’--”

It’s right then that the littlest of the kids walks up, evidently feeling safe and free of the train now. “Barbara,” he asks, “what’s goin’ on?”

This is too much Taako and his friends, though, and they burst out laughing in unison. It’s just such a silly name for someone that they didn’t expect (Taako was leaning towards “Jerri,” maybe), and they all enjoy the laugh together before it occurs to them that Barbara is looking  _ pretty  _ angry.

“Your name’s--your name’s stupid,” Taako babbles anyway, nervous.

“My mommy says it’s a  _ good _ name,” he grumbles. “If you wanna keep sayin’ stuff like that, I really  _ am _ gonna beat you up.”

“Oh,  _ yeah? _ ” Taako instigates him, heart fluttering.

“ _ Yeah." _

It’s right then that Taako leans over and says something to the toughest of them all. “Magnus, you’re really strong! Beat  _ him _ up first.”

“‘kay,” Magnus goes to comply without complaint, shoving Barbara to the ground. Merle looks absolutely  _ panicked _ at this new development, tugging urgently at Magnus’s shirt.

“Hey, Miss Lucretia said  _ no hitting _ ,” Merle reminds them both. “She said that to  _ you, _ Magnus. We’re not supposed to  _ hit. _ ”

To Taako’s surprise, when Barbara  _ does _ hit the floor, he gets a scrape and winces like it’s the end times. His friend Little Jerry rushes to his side, and Taako figures this is as good a time as any to try to bolt past, tugging Magnus’s hand who tugs on Merle. He’s starting to realize that he’s lost track of Barry, Davenport, Angus,  _ and _ Miss Lucretia, and this distracts him so much that he nearly bumps into  _ Jerreeeeee  _ and some other kid.

“Where’re you goin’? I thought you wanted to join the club. This is Maarvey--”

“Don’t care just wanna play bumper cars  _ BYE!! _ ”

Taako can’t even focus on that anymore, though. He doesn’t care. All he can do is try to scan the surroundings for any familiar adults, Lucretia’s voice echoing in his head. “It’s  _ dangerous _ to be lost,” he whispers, and he nearly lets go of Magnus’s hand in the terror of it all, relieved when Magnus squeezes tight. It’d be terrible if he lost  _ them, _ too, and he can’t get his chest to stop hurting and he feels so  _ scared, _ he just--

“Guys,” he asks with mounting terror, “where’s everybody?”

“We’ll find ‘em,” Merle tries to reassure him, patting his arm. Taako flinches away.

“I dunno where they are,” he admits, voice smaller than usual as he pulls his hat up a little so he can get a better look. “We should’ve just not talked to those dumb kids in the first place.”

“Taako,” Merle tries gently, “we’ll  _ find _ ‘em, okay?”

But these words don’t matter to him anymore. Everything is so  _ loud _ and so  _ much _ and he’s lost Angus  _ and  _ Miss Lucretia and his best friend Barry, and Taako doesn’t know how to deal with it. He tugs on his hat anxiously, then cups his hands over his ears, trying to at least block out some of the sounds of the people. “This is all  _ your _ fault,” he seethes at Merle, snapping before he can stop himself. “If you hadn’t been so  _ small, _ we could’ve just played  _ bumper cars! _ ”

“ _ My _ fault?” Merle stops walking. “Nu- _ uh, _ you’re the one who had to start talking about the  _ potty!! _ ”

“Magnus thought it was  _ funny! _ ”

“Magnus thinks  _ everything’s  _ funny!”

“Um,” Magnus speaks up, “Taako? Merle?”

“Well, he thinks I’m  _ extra _ funny!  _ Plus _ I was only bein’ funny at them ‘cuz they were  _ stupid _ not to let you go  _ play! _ ”

“Taako?”

“Well,  _ thanks! _ ” Merle’s voice is angry, but his words aren’t. “It  _ was _ pretty dumb!”

“Merle?”

“Yeah,” Taako howls, feeling weirdly upset still. “You were  _ way _ bigger’n that one scared of the  _ train! _ ”

“I  _ know!!" _

“ _ Guys, _ ” Magnus finally shouts above them both, so loud that he gets both of them to turn. Taako realizes he was almost crying, but maybe Merle was too, and that makes them even enough that he’s not too worried. “Look!”

Both of them follow Magnus’s finger to where they can see Angus, Davenport, Barry and Miss Lucretia over with some other small kid. To Taako’s relief, Angus hasn’t forgotten about him; he’s calling his name, and Taako’s probably only able to hear it because he has elf ears or something. In a moment it might occur to him that he’s probably in trouble, but for now he all but  _ runs _ into Angus’s arms, feeling safe and comfortable again.

“ _ Angus, _ ” he mumbles into him, “I was  _ lost! _ There were these stupid kids ‘n’ they said Merle was too small for bumper cars ‘n’ the one was scared of trains--”

“ _ Yeah, _ even though he was  _ way _ smaller’n me,” Merle interjects.

“ _ Yeah, _ ” Taako babbles, “‘n’ then Magnus wanted to join their club but they said only if he gave them his fish ‘n’ then Magnus hit one of ‘em  _ real  _ hard and he got an owchie--”

“You  _ told _ me to,” Magnus starts to complain.

“But it wasn’t my  _ fault, _ ” Taako insists, “ _ honest. _ I just wanted to play bumper cars, I just wanted to--I  _ wanted _ to--”

Angus isn’t mad, though. He scoops Taako up into his arms, reassuring like always, and holds him close. “Hey, hey. It’s okay, buddy. I’m not mad. We just really gotta keep all of you from getting lost anymore, huh?”

“Yeah,” Taako mumbles in agreement, and he feels better just hearing Angus’s heartbeat and breaths. “I  _ really _ don’t wanna get lost.”

“Okay. Then all of you need to remember to  _ hold hands  _ with me and Miss Lucretia, okay?”

These are easy terms, and Taako and Merle both agree.

Davenport shouts his own name and then  _ runs _ over to Merle, wrapping him up in a hug, but Magnus is looking at something else now, and Taako is noticing that Miss Lucretia hasn’t even gotten angry or stern with them yet. Her focus is on a figure huddled up in the corner, bigger in size than any of them and furry like a dog, and he looks upset.

“Who’s that?” Magnus asks, approaching him already.

“Oh, this is Klaarg,” Miss Lucretia informs him absently, still kneeling on his level. “We don’t know how, but he got separated from his family.”

“Why’s he got so much fur? I like it.”

“Me too,” Taako nods cautiously. He doesn’t know what to think of this new kid yet, but he figures that he’s safe from Angus’s arms, and that’s good enough.

“It’s ‘cuz he’s a bugbear, guys,” Barry informs them, looking distressed by this entire thing. Klaarg is crying and sniffling something  _ awful, _ so much so that he can’t get himself to calm down, and it’s pretty upsetting to Taako too in a way he doesn’t quite have the words for right now, but he just clings to Angus.

“A  _ hugbear? _ ” Magnus gasps.

“A  _ bugbear, _ ” Barry repeats. “They  _ all _ look like that.”

“Are you really good at hugs?” Magnus is  _ fascinated _ with Klaarg now, kneeling down. “Bears are my favorite, see? My face is one right now.”

Klaarg eyes Magnus warily, and Taako can’t help but think he knows how this kid feels, separated from his family. He’s glad to at least found  _ some _ of them again, and it’s proof of it when he knows he’s in Angus’s arms right now, but he doesn’t move to say anything yet. He’s too overwhelmed, and it makes him feel too many things he doesn’t understand, so he’s quiet now and nearly putting his thumb in his mouth.

“I’m not a  _ bear, _ ” Klaarg finally says, trying to wipe some of his own tears away. “I’m a  _ bugbear, _ and I’m  _ lost. _ ”

“Well,  _ I’m _ Magnus,” Magnus introduces himself so friendly, smiling wide. “And these are my friends and my teacher and my friend’s dad. And we’re gonna help you find your family, okay?”

“We are?” Taako doesn’t know how to feel about this either.

“Yeah,” Magnus affirms without a second thought. “We are! So do you wanna be friends too?”

The bugbear really thinks about it, and he must come to the conclusion that it’s okay because he uncurls enough to reveal that he’s holding some kind of stuffed animal. It reminds Taako of Mister Mongoose, but it doesn’t look anything like him at all, instead resembling some kind of dog. He can respect it, though.

“I like your dog,” says Magnus instantly, which figures. “He’s furry like you.”

“He’s a  _ wolf, _ ” Klaarg corrects, “but thanks.”

“You’re welcome! That’s neat.”

Thankfully, Klaarg’s story goes the opposite way of Taako’s, and it doesn’t take them very long to find Klaarg’s family at all. They’re incredibly grateful, and the little elf is surprised to find that he’s glad to know the bugbear is back where he’s supposed to be. It makes him feel very strange and quiet, which Angus picks up on, but soon they’re distracted by bumper cars.

“You ready to play?”

When Hurley talks to Taako again, he’s sitting in a bumper car with Angus and feeling sort of nervous, but he looks over and sees her very red hair and her smile and he tells her of  _ course _ he is, duh. Magnus is already making little  _ vroom _ noises with his mouth, turning the wheel violently even though it won’t go yet; Barry is his reluctant passenger, hovering uncertainly just above it all. Finally, Merle and Davenport are in a car.

“I… ...think so,” Taako finally stammers, more uncertain than he wants to be.

“This is gonna be really fun, bud,” Angus reassures him. “You’re gonna enjoy it, but remember it’s called  _ bumper _ cars, okay? They might bump into us a little, but it’s all fun, that’s it.”

Taako is starting to rethink this entire thing until he sees those stupid shark jerks from before.

“I’m good, Angus,” he reassures him. “Don’t worry.”

  
When the cars start up, he’s  _ ready. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAND it's back, folks!! and as usual, i'm incredibly nervous about it!! i know it's been a long wait, but i've been trying to work out details in the meantime, so i hope it's worth it. <3 been writing a lot of heavy stuff and doing a lot of trauma and grief processing lately, and i really just wanted a break from that to write about babies, so. HERE THEY ARE. love you all, and thanks always for this tremendous amount of support, jeez.


	17. Chapter 12, pt. 4

The sound of horns is what lets Taako know that the game has officially begun. 

Hurley’s in her own car and she’s bumped one already, looking wild and free and smiling at it all. Magnus is going as  _ fast as he can, _ and Barry has to try to keep up since no one can really buckle him in, and as he does so he tries to convince his partner to slow down, but Magnus either doesn’t hear him or doesn’t care as he bumps some kids  _ right _ into a corner. Merle and Davenport manage to get one, even though they’re going a little slower and a little more carefully, and that leaves Taako and Angus.

Taako wants to  _ bump  _ right into those big dumb shark jerks, but instead, he bumps into someone with Angus that he doesn’t even really know, and then they keep going. That leaves at least one car stuck, three cars bumped; Hurley yells a shout of approval at them all, letting them know they’re doing good, and even though the little elf is still kind of nervous it makes him happy.

When Sloane zips past them  _ all, _ looking very determined for someone who’s too old for bumper cars and not that into them, Hurley seems determined to catch up to her. Taako’s almost surprised they’re not riding together, but he doesn’t have much time to focus on that, because some goblin kids with their face painted like dinosaurs are trying to bump into Magnus’s car  _ pretty _ fiercely. Merle says something to Davenport that no one can hear with all the noise, then  _ zips _ in front to take the hit instead, leaving Magnus to keep going.

“I’m too _strong,_ ” Magnus crows loudly and triumphantly as he goes as fast as the car will allow and _bumps_ the dino kids as hard as he can. “Strong like a _bear!!_ _RAWRGH!!_ ”

“You’re  _ welcome _ I guess,” Merle yells.

Barry sighs and looks exasperated, trying to keep up.

Two of the kids are crying, which normally would stress Taako out a bit, but instead, he goes for them  _ himself _ and bumps into them, giggling with glee as their car starts to spin  _ around _ and  _ around _ and  _ around _ until it hits the side. “Look, Angus,” he chirps triumphantly, “I  _ did  _ it!”

“You sure  _ did, _ buddy,” Angus confirms. “Great job!”

“Yeah,” Hurley shouts from somewhere, “that was really  _ cool! _ ”

“ _ WHAT? _ ” Magnus asks as loud as he can like she’s talking to him.

Taako feels  _ very _ proud anyway.

Two dwarven kids are up next, their faces painted like gerbils, and maybe it’s Taako’s imagination but the car seems a little bigger than the last one. 

Before they can react to the newcomers, Merle’s busy soothing Magnus, whose feelings look a little hurt that Hurley  _ wasn’t _ talking to him, and they get close enough to each other that Merle gives him a candy, which seems to smooth things over. Taako’s busy paying attention to this when the car with the dwarven kids tries to  _ ram _ into his, and he feels a very real rush of  _ panic _ as they manage to bump him and Angus into a corner. They ram Magnus pretty good next, and Taako tries to get their car out from the corner, but they’re stuck, which makes him feel even worse.

“Angus, I’m  _ trapped, _ ” he tells the adult with him helplessly. “What do I  _ do? _ ”

The more he tries to get them out, the worse they seem wedged in there. He’s so  _ frustrated _ and afraid he almost cries, but Angus is there for him as usual. “Hey, bud,” his favorite person in the world says in gentle tones, “you’re okay. We’re okay. This is safe and just for fun, remember?”

“I’m  _ comin’ for you, _ Taako,” Merle yells anyway, and he somehow  _ bumps _ them out of the corner, with Davenport smiling and giggling about it.

“Wow, Merle, that was  _ very _ nice,” Angus lets him know. “What do we say, Taako?”

“Thank you!” Taako shouts back, and he decides Merle is his friend right then.

“You’re welcome!”

As the elf is looking behind him to thank Merle, he sees another car with two kids with their faces painted as dolphins coming up from behind the dwarf and his gnome friend, and Merle yells something that sounds like “dookie!” when he spots them, trying to speed up and get away. They make dolphin noises, which sound very silly. Thankfully, the gerbil kids from before are so busy fighting  _ they _ ram into a corner and get stuck, bumping the dolphin kids just before they do and causing them to spin out of control and into a side.

Taako can’t help but giggle at it, and Merle and Magnus and Davenport do too, but they don’t have much time before something bumps into Merle and Davenport’s car  _ a lot _ on Merle’s side, almost startling the young dwarf and sending them both spinning. It’s super unfair the way that  _ even _ as they spin, they get hit  _ again _ on Merle’s side, and then  _ again. _ He looks like even  _ he _ might cry, now, as Davenport yells his name in very distressed tones.

Magnus  _ swerves _ around to try to help him and Barry tries his hardest to keep up with this movement, but that also sends  _ them _ both spinning, to the young lich’s exasperation. Taako can see now that two dark elf kids with their face painted like octopi and chewing bubblegum are responsible, and Angus helps him go to bump into them, but it’s not enough to help. All of Taako’s friends are stuck now, but Hurley helps them all out, and soon even  _ that _ car is behind them all.

Two kids with their faces painted like some kind of pig with tusks are next, and they try to hit Magnus and Barry, but Magnus tries to bump ‘em, effectively spooking one kid. The other tries to get their bumper car into control, only to be hit by Merle and Davenport, who giggle and yell victoriously. 

Taako would be proud of all of this, if not for the sight of some familiar faces.

“Shark jerks,” he growls.

“Looks like we have some other people to think about, bud.” Taako looks where Angus is pointing loyally of course, and there are three kids with their face painted like bugs, and Taako doesn’t know  _ why, _ but when one of them points at him he just--

\--wants out, he just  _ needs _ out, he just--

\--is fiddling with the seatbelt, almost like he’s not in control of himself.

“Taako,  _ no, _ ” Angus says, equal parts firm and concerned. “No, no, no. What’s going on, bud? Tell me what’s happening.”

“I don’t  _ know, _ ” he whispers desperately, clawing at his ears. “I don’t  _ know, _ I need to get off, please… I need to  _ go, _ Angus.”

He can almost hear… ...a sound? A sort of sound, but not coming from outside, but inside his head, chirping like a bird chirps but different. This time, he  _ can’t _ be soothed, so their car comes to a stop. No one is allowed near their car as Angus unbuckles them both and holds him close, and Taako feels embarrassed for being this upset in front of  _ everyone, _ especially the shark kids, but he can’t help it as he buries his face into Angus to feel his warmth and hear his heartbeat.

“I’m sorry,” he whimpers. “It got too scary. It got  _ really _ scary, ‘n’ I dunno why.”

“That’s okay, Taako,” Angus reassures him, holding him and taking him away from all the noise and the cars. “We don’t ever have to do anything that makes you scared, okay? This is supposed to be fun.”

Taako nods, tears streaming down his face.

Merle decides that if Taako’s going, he is too, and Davenport happily agrees. They leave Magnus to finish the cars with Hurley and Sloane and those stupid sharks, and Barry comes with them ‘cuz honestly, he looks a little bored.

Miss Lucretia looks concerned. “Is everyone all right?”

“Yeah, we’re okay,” Angus reassures her. “Taako just got a little scared, that’s all.”

“‘n’ I can’t really  _ do _ bumper cars, I guess,” Barry confesses, looking tired after trying to keep up. 

“That’s perfectly all right,” she tells them both. “I’ll just wait for Magnus to finish up. You’re all free to go do something else, as long as you  _ stay _ with Angus and hold hands. Okay?”

Everyone agrees to these terms.

“Don’t  _ worry, _ you guys,” Magnus shouts loudly. “Hurley ‘n’ me are gonna take care of those dumb sharks!”

“‘kay,” Merle yells back, giving him a thumbs up.

Taako is relieved to see that Miss Lucretia has kept a tight hold on his umbrella all along, and he reluctantly allows her to keep hold of it, since Angus has to hold hands. 

After all that’s settled, they wander around a little, and everyone agrees that it’s snack time. Since Angus is the best in the world, he treats everyone to cotton candy and then makes sure to wipe everyone’s sticky hands clean to the best of his abilities. It makes coming here  _ pretty _ worth it, even if the bumper cars were just too much in the end.

Taako’s getting tired, but Merle points out something interesting. “Look!”

“What’s  _ that? _ ” Taako asks, ears perking up in curiosity as he eyes a slow ride with a bunch of kids sitting on animals and going around in a circle.

“That’s a carousel,” explains Barry helpfully. “It’s not like bumper cars. You just sit on animals and you go around and--”

“I call the unicorn!” Merle blurts out, running as fast as his little dwarf legs will carry him.

“Okay,” Taako agrees, trailing him, “but he’s  _ mine _ and I  _ named _ him.”

“What, already?”

“Yup!”

“No fair!”

“Too bad,” Taako counters smugly. “His name’s Garyl and he’s  _ really _ cool and sometimes he has  _ two horns. _ ”

“Whoa,” Merle gasps. “That  _ is _ pretty cool.”

“I  _ know. _ ”

“Can I still ride him, though?”

“Yeah,” Taako agrees warily. “You called dibs.”

“Great,” Barry sighs. “Another thing I can’t really do.”

It’s in this moment that Taako realizes how  _ miserable _ Barry looks,  _ plus _ they all still need to hold hands, so he decides to stick by Angus, Barry, and Davenport (who’s still eating his cotton candy) while Merle rides the carousel. This feels like a very grown up thing to decide, and he feels proud of himself.

“You’ll do stuff soon, Barold,” he tries, even though he doesn’t really know.

“Yeah,” sighs Barry. “I hope so. I just wanna be like the other kids sometimes.”

“You don’t  _ need _ to be like them,” Taako decides. “They’re stupid.”

He glares at some of them from under his hat because they keep staring at his friend.

“I guess,” Barry admits. “Thanks, Taako.”

“Pch, it’s okay,” he says. “We’re friends.”

To Taako’s surprise, they spot Klaarg again, this time with his family. Taako feels incredibly shy of all of them, but he talks to Klaarg quietly about Mister Mongoose and how he’s like Klaarg’s wolf friend, and they decide that  _ they’re _ friends too. Taako doesn’t know for sure, of course, but he feels like he’s never had so many friends before, and even when Klaarg leaves again and Merle comes back he still feels lucky.

Things seem better until he spots Hurley and her ram facepaint, now running like she’s been crying, and Magnus and Miss Lucretia following her. Taako grips Angus’s hand tight and is relieved to see that Miss Lucretia is still holding onto his umbrella.

“Hurley?” Merle asks, instantly concerned. “What’s wrong?”

She’s definitely crying, and it makes Taako nervous and sad as he clings to Angus. “I don’t know what happened,” she stammers. “I--we were just playing bumper cars and I was with Magnus and it was fine but I--I lost Sloane. I’ve--I’ve  _ gotta _ find her or Bane’s gonna be so  _ mad, _ it’s gonna be  _ awful, _ pl-please help me.”

“There, there, child,” Lucretia says. “It’ll be all right. We’ll find your friend.”

“D’you have any clue where she might be?” Angus asks.

“You can trust him,” Magnus reassures her. “He’s a  _ really good _ detective.”

“The best one,” Taako whispers.

It takes a moment for Hurley to compose herself enough to say, as she’s still crying. “Th-there’s a plant observatory next door, she--she likes to go there. It’s--it’s big, but I think she probably went there, I--she was bored with bumper cars, so she probably--I never should’ve made her  _ play. _ ”

“It’s not your fault,” Merle says, giving her a pat on the arm. “Plants are really cool. Of course she wanted to see some.”

“We’ll  _ all _ go,” Magnus says, “so we can find her best!”

Lucretia sighs just a little, but she nods. “Okay. All right, everyone will go. I do think it’s best if Angus and I  _ both _ are allowed to help. But everyone  _ must _ hold hands and do their  _ very best _ not to get lost.  _ Or _ to touch any plants, Merle.”

“Aw,” he whines, “okay.”

“Good. Let’s go, then.”

As always, Miss Lucretia leads the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UGH THIS CHAPTER WAS HARD. DESCRIBING BUMPER CARS IS HARD. hopefully it was still decent, though. SIGHS. thank you all for reading and supporting! <3 i love you. this arc is comin' to a close soon, i think.


	18. Chapter 12, pt. 5

They may be going somewhere new, but Miss Lucretia lets all of them know pretty immediately that this means they need to be on  _ extra good _ behavior, to not wander off, and to keep holding hands and always, always being with herself and Angus. She’s taken some questions from them all already, and from how she’s answered, Taako’s started to figure out that a “plant observatory” is where a lot of plants are, all different kinds. Merle is  _ most _ excited, ‘cuz he really likes plants. Magnus is focused on  _ trying _ to lead the way, even though he hangs back behind Miss Lucretia still, so he can help Hurley and be a hero. Barry is floating near Davenport and Merle anxiously, and Davenport keeps having some kind of conversation with Merle that only they can understand.

Taako’s  _ most _ concerned about Hurley, though. He doesn’t want to step away from Angus, but she’s been  _ crying, _ and that makes him nervous and sad. So he does let go of Angus’s hand for a little bit, just so he can go hold hers.

“Hey, Hurley,” he tries, “hey, Hurley. I’m a  _ mongoose. Meow!! _ ”

Even with the situation being urgent, he  _ almost _ giggles at his own joke, because mongooses don’t “meow.” Only  _ cats _ meow, which he knows because not even Mister Mongoose would ever say “meow,” and he’s pretty silly. He’s pretty proud of himself for being so funny all the time, especially when Hurley smiles.

“Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Taako,” she says, trying to wipe her tears on her hand a little. “I’m glad you guys’re comin’ to help me. I don’t know  _ what _ I’d do otherwise.”

“ _ ‘Course _ we’re helpin’,” Taako dismisses, waving a hand. “No adventure would be complete without  _ Weaselman!! _ ” He doesn’t particularly know where this joke comes from, but he sounds super funny when he says it, putting on a serious voice, and it’s silly because mongooses aren’t weasels, either! He’s on a roll now, and besides, this one  _ does _ make Hurley laugh, even as she’s crying.

“Thank you, Weaselman,” she says.

“You’re  _ welcome. _ ” Taako is proud of himself, so proud he’s  _ encouraged, _ bouncing up and down. “Oh, oh, oh--oh,  _ oh! _ Hurley, y’know what’s  _ real _ funny?” He’s almost giggling too much to get the joke out, bouncing and holding on so tight to her hand.

“What is it, Taako?”

“I--I can’t be a  _ good _ mongoose, ‘cuz I don’t have  _ wings!! _ ” This one makes him  _ scream _ with laughter, and he lets go for one second to start flapping his arms, but Miss Lucretia reminds him gently to always keep holding hands, please, Taako. So he does.

“Wings are  _ cool, _ ” observes Magnus.

“Are you sure you know what a mongoose is?” Merle asks from a little ways behind. “They don’t  _ have _ wings, guys.”

Taako giggles even more. “I  _ knowwwww!! _ That’s why it’s so funny.”

“Yeah,  _ Merle, _ ” Magnus retorts, ever-eager to be a good friend.

As Hurley cries and laughs some more, Merle rolls his eyes. “You guys are silly,” she confirms, “but thanks for cheering me up.”

“I dunno if we even  _ mean _ to,” Merle admits with honesty.

“ _ I _ do,” Taako says carefully, still holding hands.

Hurley laughs a little more, still also crying. “Well, I--I appreciate it. You guys’re great.”

Angus speaks up from a little ways behind the group. “Looks like it might rain, guys.”

It’s right then that the little elf realizes just how chilly it is outside, and he looks up at the sky. It’s definitely getting dark with clouds, and he shivers. No rain yet, though, so it’s not umbrella time. It’s getting windy enough that he has to use one hand to keep his hat on though, gripping it tightly and nervously as it kicks up.

“Thankfully, if it does,” Miss Lucretia says, “we have an umbrella, isn’t that right, Taako?”

His eyes widen, attention suddenly fully on her again. “Um, yeah,” he says, “it’s what you use when it rains outside.”

“It most certainly is, and we’re lucky you brought one just in case!”

Taako has never been prouder in his entire life.

When they approach the observatory, it looks  _ much _ different than the building next door. It’s a round building that’s almost like a big gigantic window, and there’s all  _ sorts _ of different plants inside. This time,  _ Merle _ tries to rush up ahead, Davenport in tow, but they’re both stopped by Angus, who reminds them to keep holding hands. They slow down and enter the building with everybody else, and as they do, Taako looks around in awe.

“Wow,” he gasps, “that’s more plants’n I knew  _ existed. _ ”

“This place,” Merle gasps at almost the same time, “is the  _ best _ thing I ever saw with my own eyes.”

“ _ Davenport, _ ” Davenport agrees with just as much awe.

Barry is just quiet, occasionally looking anxiously toward Hurley and around.

“Guys,” Magnus speaks up, “watch this! I can climb some  _ stuff! _ ”

Everyone tells him not to do this, so he doesn’t, looking sad the whole time. Miss Lucretia says she knows this is exciting, because none of them have ever done this before, but they need to stay together, okay? Taako nods seriously, pulling Magnus over by him now and sticking close to everyone and keeping hands held.

“Now, Hurley,” Angus asks gently, “where do you think she’d usually go?”

She’s stopped crying by now, but she keeps looking around anxiously. “Um, all I can think is that she’d be at the end of the maze here. At the end is her favorite tree, so…”

Angus nods. “Okay, then. Where’s the maze? Do you know, or do we need a map?”

Hurley shakes her head. “Um, no, sir… ...we don’t need a map. It’s, um, just past the part with all the fruit trees ‘n’ stuff. Which is…” She thinks about it for a minute, then points. “...over in that direction, I think. Sloane, um, likes to go here a lot so I’ve been here a lot of times with her.”

They all head the direction she points, and Taako peeks out from under his hat while they do. Everything is so  _ green, _ and sometimes other colors; occasionally, Taako will say, “hey, Angus,” and try to get his attention so that he can hear that he knows his colors so well by now. It seems like it’s been forever since they were on that train, going to look at the flowers, but the little boy feels like he knows  _ so much _ still. That flower’s purple, that one’s red, that one’s yellow, that one’s green… 

They see, pretty soon, the trees that Hurley was talking about. To Taako’s delight, she was exactly right; they  _ are _ fruit trees, and he eyes one with yellow fruits growing off of it with interest. 

As quick as his feet can carry him, he’s careful to match Magnus’s walking speed now, which is pretty fast since he rushes everywhere. “Hey, Magnus,” he whispers, trying to get up close enough that Lucretia won’t hear. It’s hard to walk on tippy toes because Magnus is taller and he has to reach his ear to whisper, but he does his best.

“What?” He’s preoccupied with trying to lead, even though Miss Lucretia is the real leader.

“Wanna help me get one of  _ those? _ ” He points eagerly up at the yellow fruit hanging from his tree, licking his lips. “I’ll give you one, too. We’ll share like the teacher says an’ everything.”

“I dunno, Taako.” Magnus’s eyes are unsure now. “We gotta look for Sloane! Hurley’s really sad.”

This makes Taako feel bad, but he still wants one of the fruits  _ really _ bad, and he can’t stop glancing back at the tree. “I  _ know, _ ” he protests. “I don’t want her to feel sad, but--but that’s why she  _ won’t! _ It’ll be so fast. I just need you to help me climb up ‘cuz you’re tall.”

“And strong,” Magnus reminds him.

“Oh, yeah. Real strong, too!”

Magnus thinks about it, but now he can’t stop looking back at the tree, either. “What  _ is _ it, anyway?”

“I dunno,” Taako freely admits. “That’s why  _ you’re _ gonna help me find out!”

“Okay,” Magnus agrees, and he’s not doing the best job of keeping his voice low. Taako is a little worried he’s going to get them caught, but so far it seems like they’re fine. “Okay, I’ll do it. C’mon!”

With that, it becomes a matter of trying to sneak off away from the group for  _ just _ a second to get fruit, but they don’t make it very far. Before they can try to make it to the tree to even climb, Barry materializes in front of them both, looking fed up as he fiddles with his glasses and pushes them up just a little bit on his face. “What are you guys  _ doing? _ ”

“ _ Nothing, _ ” Taako blurts out. “I mean, um. Helping Hurley,  _ duh. _ ”

“We’re gonna get that fruit,” Magnus tells him helpfully at the same time, pointing at the tree. “Wanna help?”

“ _ Magnus! _ ”

“Oops,” Magnus says after a second. “Sorry. I thought he might wanna  _ help-- _ ”

“Well,” Barry stammers, hovering with disapproval. “Well, thanks for thinking of me, you guys, but--but _no,_ of _course_ I don’t want some dumb stupid fruit, and you shouldn’t _either._ Hurley and her friend Sloane are in--are in big, big trouble, the kind we are when we get lost! You guys--you guys should _know_ better. If--if you don’t come with us, I’m telling _my_ _mom._ ”

Barry’s right, of course. He usually is. Taako already feels a little bad for letting himself get too distracted, especially when Magnus tries to tell his friend that it was all Taako’s fault in the first place, and especially when that’s  _ true. _ He still says “hey, no  _ fair _ ” under his breath as he ducks under his hat just a little bit again, but this time he’s embarrassed. Magnus goes back to looking out at the front, and Taako tags along awkwardly, now feeling too bad to be with Hurley  _ or _ Miss Lucretia  _ or _ Angus most of all.

Merle speaks up from behind them. “Don’t worry, guys. I wanna touch the plants, too. Maybe we can later.”

Magnus rolls his eyes. “You  _ always _ wanna do that, Merle.”

“Yeah,” Merle admits. “Yeah, I do. So  _ what? _ ”

“So it’s  _ weird. _ ”

“Boys, don’t argue,” says Miss Lucretia absently, letting all of them know she’s probably heard them the entire time. Taako doesn’t know how she’s able to do anything like that, but he guesses she probably has superpowers or something. All of them look at the floor and mumble “yes, Miss Lucretia,” as they move along to a bunch of vines. They’re big and green like a snake, and Taako lets Angus know this too, who says that’s very true. Soon after, they arrive at the beginning of the maze, with lots of leaves on all sides, going off too far to let Taako know what awaits any of them there.

“Now, everyone, I know this is so  _ exciting _ still,” Miss Lucretia tries to lecture them as she kneels down, “but the maze is  _ supposed _ to make people feel lost, so we have to stay very--”

“I wanna play tetherball,” laments Magnus out of nowhere, fidgeting. Taako has no idea what it is.

Everyone stares at him. “Where did  _ that _ come from?”

“I dunno,” he shrugs. “Just wanna.”

Lucretia blinks. “Yes, well, anyway. Because the maze is  _ supposed _ to make people lost, that means we all need to stick together, all right?  _ No _ running up ahead.”

Of course all of them look at her like she’s the center of the entire universe, and maybe she is. A second later, though, Magnus tries to rush up ahead and pull Taako with him, only for Miss Lucretia to catch him  _ instantly _ and make sure he’s with the rest of the group. “Oh, no you  _ don’t, _ ” she says firmly as she plants him back on the ground and holds his hand while he holds Taako’s. “Everyone stays  _ together _ for this one.”

“Fine,” Magnus pouts, but as soon as he realizes that Miss Lucretia is holding his hand and he’s almost leading the entire group this way, he doesn’t seem nearly as upset. “Where do we go, Hurley?"

Taako grabs onto her hand, just so she has one.

“Um,” she tries. “Hold on. Just… ...um, follow me.”

They all do, and both Miss Lucretia and Angus are very careful to ask her where to go next. Magnus sometimes yells out the question right after they do, but Hurley keeps answering, mostly not paying any real attention to any of them as she looks for Sloane. Outside, there are noises like  _ screeching, _ and Taako tenses up and  _ grips _ onto the nearest adult with blind panic.

“Just the wind, buddy,” Angus reassures him. “It can’t hurt you. You’re okay.”

It  _ roars _ and rattles the big window-building observatory as if defying Angus on purpose, and he wants to go running back to him but he doesn’t, trying to trust the words. His hands are getting cold as they keep going, sometimes meeting a wall of green, sometimes continuing to go… ...somewhere, probably Sloane’s favorite tree like Hurley was saying before. Taako is still suspicious of it, though, and he finds his eyes keep darting to his umbrella safe in Miss Lucretia’s hands a lot, just to let him know for sure that it’s there and not setting anything on fire.

Right when they finally see Sloane, she’s not quite at the tree yet. Hurley yells out her name and  _ bolts _ for her, and everyone else has to struggle to keep up. Unfortunately, right then there’s a  _ big _ boom of thunder and a flash of lightning from outside, and Taako starts and hides so much under his hat that he has to trust everyone else to guide him. 

Unfortunately, this makes it fairly easy for Magnus to bump into them and they both trip, somehow also sending Merle to the floor. They’re good enough that none of them really whine, although Merle complains that they weren’t watching where they were going and Magnus blames Taako, who’s quick to defend himself (even with his hat over his eyes). When he adjusts the hat again and they all sit up, things are so… ... _ different. _

And  _ pretty. _

Taako can tell immediately that this  _ must _ be the end of the maze and Sloane’s favorite tree because it’s so  _ neat. _ Where usually leaves have green leaves, this one looks pink, which is one of the elf’s favorite colors of all. He walks slowly to it in awe, all of his friends following, and they see Hurley in Sloane’s arms. There’s a fountain with water, too, but none of them can focus on that with the sight of this tree.

“We’re gonna get in  _ so much trouble, _ ” Hurley tells Sloane, but her voice is soft.

Sloane laughs. It’s the first time they’ve seen her smile, and she doesn’t look aware at all of any of them. “Yeah, I was being pretty stupid.”

Hurley laughs, brushing a lock of red hair out of her face. “Haha, yeah.”

“Why are you sitting like that?” Magnus is the one to ask first.

“Are you hurt?” Merle asks soon after.

“Get your pans to  _ help _ her for crying out loud,” Taako urges, visibly distressed.

This makes Hurley aware of her surroundings, though, and her face turns red as she sits all the way up and scoots away from Sloane before tugging her up with her. “Uh, no, guys. I’m not hurt. Sorry. I… I’m just really glad we found her.”

“I always go here,” Sloane points out. “It couldn’t have been  _ that _ hard.”

But she’s grinning.

“Well--well, it  _ wasn’t, _ ” Hurley sputters, tucking more hair behind her ear. “So there. Um, anyway, we should probably head back. Bane is prob’ly gonna blow a  _ gasket. _ ”

Sloane sighs dramatically, getting on her feet. “Yeah, probably. Sorry, Hurley.”

“It’s okay, Sloane,” she says. “I’m just glad you’re okay!”

“Yeah,” Sloane murmurs awkwardly. “You, too.”

“And speaking of,” Hurley turns around, and to Taako’s surprise, goes and wraps him in a big hug. It’s very warm and very sincere, and it’s probably the only hug Taako’s really had from anyone that’s not June or Angus, and he doesn’t know how to feel about it exactly. “Thanks for everything, guys. Sorry it got so out of hand, though.”

“Yeah,” Sloane agrees again, echoing what she said before. “Um, me too. I just got bored.”

“Next time if you’re bored,” Hurley advises her, as they hold hands and head back, “take me with you!”

This seems like a good plan to everyone.

Hurley leads the way back, Sloane following her. Taako can’t stop thinking about the hug, and how weird it was to be hugged by  _ anyone else. _ It’s preoccupying his thoughts the entire time they go back, so he barely notices that the storm has passed overhead by now. Miss Lucretia is the one to point it out, and everyone appreciates how blue and pretty the sky is before they head back to the place with the bumper cars.

It’s a sudden change of noise and people, but not even that makes Taako as nervous as seeing whoever Bane is for the first time. He is  _ probably _ one of the biggest, tallest, most intimidating people Taako has ever seen, and he doesn’t look happy at  _ all _ when he finally spots Hurley and Sloane coming back. His face is so serious and angry that Taako tries to head back to Angus and hide behind him, worried for his friends.

“Hurley,” the man Bane says, face angry, “what  _ happened? _ You weren’t supposed to stray from me! Mom and Dad are gonna be so pissed. What the fuck were you  _ doing? _ ”

Taako flinches, hiding even more behind Angus. The detective actually picks him up and holds him protectively, and he doesn’t look too happy with this person’s language. “Sir, I understand that you’re upset, but we’re on a field trip with a bunch of schoolchildren. Maybe you could tone it down a notch.”

“We were just helping Hurley here find her friend,” Lucretia says as cold as anything. Taako’s never heard her sound like that.

“I should’ve  _ known, _ ” Bane growls, looking at Sloane. “It was  _ her _ fault again, wasn’t it?”

Sloane glances at the floor. “Yes, sir. Hurley--Hurley was just trying to help me. Please, don’t blame her for this.”

“Please, don’t tell Mom and Dad,” Hurley begs. “And be nice to these guys. They were really good and helped us; they didn’t need to.”

“Of  _ course, _ ” Bane spits, “Sloane dragged other people into your guys’ shit. How many times have I covered for you back at home? Eventually, they’re gonna figure out that you guys are--wait, hold on.”

This scary, scary man suddenly has all attention turned to Barry, who stares at him with fright and then tries to vanish. It doesn’t quite work, and Taako is getting  _ very _ upset with the way that Bane is looking at him, almost enough to want to get out of Angus’s arms to defend him.

“What the fuck is  _ this _ thing? That’s not a  _ child. _ ”

Taako has  _ never _ seen Miss Lucretia so angry. “I will thank you not to use that language around these boys,” she tries again. “This is the final time I will ask nicely.”

“Bane,” Hurley tries urgently. “Don’t do this. We--we--let’s just go home, okay?”

“I’m just curious,” Bane continues, “how does this thing even play games? Or do  _ anything? _ What  _ is _ it? What kind of guts does a lady have to possess to take something like this out on the town?”

Taako can tell the moment it happens. Barry is floating even higher now, eyes blank and frightening, and he uses that scary voice from before. He doesn’t look scared of Bane, though, who seems determined to hate him; instead, he tilts his head slightly, looking curious and  _ very _ spooky. “ **ARE YOU AFRAID?** ”

This  _ jars _ the man into backing away a little bit. “What--what the fuck? What the fuck  _ are _ you?”

“ **ARE YOU AFRAID?** ” Barry repeats. He doesn’t seem to recognize anything around him, disappearing and then reappearing right in the man’s face. “ **YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO BE AFRAID.** ”

“Now look what you’ve done,” Miss Lucretia yells, as everyone is turning to look at Barry. Taako has his hat pulled down almost all the way, but he can’t help peeking out, more worried for his friend Barry than anyone or anything else in this stupid place. He mumbles words of terror into Angus, who is holding him so tightly and protectively that nothing can possibly hurt him, herding everyone around him as Lucretia steps in front of Barry to help. “You  _ pathetic _ young man. Barry, it’s… ...it’s Lucretia. It’s… ...it’s me. Can you hear me? Can you understand me? Can we focus on where we are?”

But Barry isn’t listening, only disappearing and reappearing right in front of Bane, who curses. “ **THIS IS THE TRUE NATURE OF MAN. THE WANT, THE HUNGER. IT CONSUMES EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES; IT CANNOT BE STOPPED OR CHANGED. IT’S THE END OF EVERYTHING.** ”

“Barry--” Miss Lucretia is still trying, though she almost stops at those words. “Barry, please. Focus on me. Focus on Mom, can you do that? What’s around us, hm? We’re okay, aren’t we, right now--”

This time, Barry seems almost to address her, then turns to the entire group. “ **THIS IS YOUR FIRST LESSON.** ”

“Barry,” Miss Lucretia tries, and Taako realizes she’s  _ scared. _

“It’s  _ okay, _ ” he interrupts without thinking. “Lup knows this guy is a big  _ dummy. _ ”

Taako doesn’t know why he says it, but it works.

Barry turns to him,  _ flickers _ in a way a person shouldn’t, then seems to come back to himself. “Lup…?” He repeats, dazed. “Taako? Mom? What’s… ...what’s going on? I--I don’t feel good.”

“It’s okay, Barry,” Lucretia says, seemingly dazed too. “We’re… ...we’re going home now.”

In all the chaos, Bane and Hurley and Sloane are gone. Taako can’t stop thinking about them the whole way home, so quiet and sticking close to Angus with everything.

"That guy was really somethin'," Merle says.

"I could  _hit_ him!" Magnus agrees.

"Yeah," Taako finally nods.

He doesn’t care about bumper cars anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, y'all, stuff got realer in this chapter than i expected maybe. baby liches are not a great idea, but send them love. 
> 
> <3 thanks always for your support. shoutout to Mads for giving me some ideas about what to do with this chapter early on, and Dani for making and posting Bad Luck moodboards!! i love you all. TUNE IN NEXT WEEK or whatever.


	19. Chapter 13

Over the next few days, something happens that concerns Taako greatly.

It starts with people in Miss Lucretia’s class. Killian comes to class and she doesn’t feel well; she’s all coughs and sniffles, and everyone does their best to make her feel better until she’s allowed to go home, but Carey gets sick next. Taako thinks it might stop there, but to his surprise and worry, Avi and Johann both sound sick after that, and it isn’t long at all before even _Miss Lucretia_ gets sick, sick enough to cancel class for a few days.

Taako doesn’t mind so much; he misses his friends, and he even misses Miss Lucretia and Avi and Johann, but things are okay back at Angus’s house and sometimes at Angus’s work. He’s content to go back to playing with June whenever Angus is too busy, or playing with Mister Mongoose and having conversations with him, or waving his wand around. But something happens that makes the elf very, _very_ terribly worried, and that’s that Angus gets sick next.

He reassures Taako at first and is careful to let him know that he’s mostly fine, even as he sniffles and coughs. He goes into work with Taako same as always, and greets June the same as always too, even if his voice is much softer now. But he looks _very_ tired, and he has a hard time talking to people on the Stone of Far Speech that he might need to, and soon June notices.

“I don’t think it’s wise for you to work when you’re feeling like this, Angus,” she says and goes over to feel his forehead.

“‘m _fine,_ June,” Angus rasps, protesting even as he sounds so _bad._

“You’re only _gonna_ be fine if you rest,” she argues. “My! You’re burning up. You go lie down on the couch. I’ll make you some soup.”

“No, really. Crime doesn’t rest, Junebug -- I’m good.”

“You’re _right,_ Angus,” she agrees. “Crime doesn’t rest -- but _people_ do. Only way you’re gonna get better is with some good ol’ fashioned sleep ‘n’ soup.”

When he refuses to lie down again, she gestures to Taako. “Think about the example you’re setting for _him,_ ” she says, and his ears perk up. “Do you want him to think it’s not okay to rest?”

Angus glances at him. “Pulling that card already, huh?”

“I certainly am,” June replies. “These are things you gotta think about now, Angus. He’s _your_ responsibility, after all.”

Angus sighs. “I guess you’re--” He breaks out into _such_ a sneeze it startles Taako, who backs up a little, ears drooped and worried for his favorite person. “I guess you’re right. I’ll uh, go lie down. ‘m not hungry yet for soup but could you maybe get me… ...some kind of medicine, some kind of potion… ...so I can feel--”

“Not a problem, sweet pea. Pretty sure we have some Fantasy NyQuil here somewhere.”

Taako watches as she ushers Angus away to the couch, and Taako makes sure to grab his favorite purple blanket and hand it to her. She says, “thank you, darlin’, that’s _very_ thoughtful and special,” so he knows he’s done good as he goes to sit anxiously by Angus’s side.

June gives him a cup of some dark blue stuff, and he takes it. Taako doesn’t think he’s ever had the opportunity to take anything like that before. Has he ever even been _sick_ before? He just doesn’t know. He’s worried something awful about Angus, and they can both tell.

“He’ll be right as rain in a little while, pumpkin pie,” June reassures him, petting his hair. “You don’t need to watch him so close. Just a little cold is all.”

But Taako’s ears perk _straight_ up as soon as he hears Angus say his name. “Taako, bud, c’mere…” He sounds _so bad,_ and now maybe a little bit sleepy, but he hurries right over by him to hug him. “Don’t hug me or you’ll get sick…”

“Elves don’t get sick,” he says. He doesn’t know if it’s true.

“Taako… I… ....I want you to know…” His eyes are glassy already. “...it’s… ….it’s gonna be okay, ‘kay? I… I promise… ...just a little cold. No big deal.”

“Okay, Angus,” he says.

Angus drifts into sleep after that. June wants him to play with her, and normally he would, but he can’t focus on anything but Angus. Being sick. Hoping he’ll be okay. Being so worried, so so worried, he keeps braiding his hair, and a few days are like that until Angus seems a little on the mend.

But Taako’s starting to not feel so good.

June greets him with a kiss that morning. “Good morning, sweet pea, you’re--you’re--you’re burning up. Oh, _dear._ ”

Everything hurts. He doesn’t know what to do except cry.

June takes him into her arms immediately, rocking him and reassuring him and petting his hair, and she tries to be as gentle as she possibly can. “Angus? Taako here’s not feeling well.”

Angus rushes into the room. “Did I get you sick, buddy?”

“No,” he says, just because he doesn’t like the look of worry on Angus’s face. “‘m okay, Papa.”

Both of them seem to stop at this for a moment, but then Angus scoops him up so gently in his arms and holds him. “I did, I did get you sick, huh, buddy? But it’s okay, we’re gonna take such good care of you until you’re better again. Just come over here with me, with your papa, and lie down under some nice blankets. June, can you wet a washcloth? Can you go out to Fantasy Costco to get some Fantasy Triaminic?”

“Not a problem, darlin’,” she says with conviction before she heads over to Taako. “You just rest, baby. Everything’s gonna be all right, all right?”

“‘kay, Mama,” Taako says weakly. It’s all he can manage, so he can’t care much about the look on her face as she kisses his hot cheek before she leaves.

Angus takes him into his bedroom and makes sure he’s all comfy, putting a wet washcloth on his head and tucking him in all cozy. He cries, just because it feels so miserable, but Angus soothes him and reassures him that he’s not going _anywhere,_ okay? He does leave for a second to make soup that he brings in for Taako to sip, and he helps him take sips. Then, when Taako’s stomach is full of hearty soup that doesn’t exactly taste like home but _feels_ like it, he yawns. Snuggles back under the covers.

“Want me to tell you a story?”

“Do I have to read?” He rasps. “I… I don’t wanna read.”

Angus laughs, just softly, smiling. “No, Taako. You don’t have to read. This is a different kind of story.”

“Okay,” Taako agrees, ears vaguely perking up with interest. “What is it? How does it go?”

“Well,” Angus says, making sure to stroke his hair, “it’s about a little boy just like--”

“--you?” Taako whispers, and it hurts. “Like the detectives stuff?”

Angus laughs and grins again, genuine and so soft. “No, it’s about a little boy like _you,_ silly.”

“ _Oh._ ” At this, Taako is instantly enraptured. “This sounds like a _neat_ story.”

Angus laughs. “It is pretty neat. Because, you see, one day there was a brave little boy who couldn’t remember a lot of things. The little boy had been through a lot of hurt and scariness before, and when he knew that, it made him scared. But because the little boy was brave, he met his family. He met people who loved him so, _so_ much.”

“You and June,” he murmurs. It’s a story about him, but he’s getting so sleepy.

“The family promised… ...that Taako would never be alone. Never, ever. If he was at school, he wouldn’t be alone. If he was at home, he wouldn’t be alone. No matter what, his family promised he’d never have to be so alone again. They promised that whatever came their way, they could withstand it. Because they loved him just _so…_ ...much…”

“I love you,” Taako mumbles, and then dreams.

The dreams are terrifying. All the eyes again. Black glass again. He can’t move, but he’s trapped in a dream. He can’t scream, so he just cries. He cries and cries until Angus comes to comfort him, until even June comes to comfort him, and when he finally wakes up safe in Angus’s arms, June reveals she bought him a swimming cloak that looks like a manta ray. He thinks this is pretty neat, but he doesn’t feel up to putting it on right now.

He feels really loved, though.

Angus goes downstairs to answer a call on his Stone of Far Speech, and even sick and in June’s arms now, Taako can hear him. “Uh, Maureen Miller? You have a case for me? Crystal. Uh-huh. Okay. Yeah, my--my son goes to that preschool--huh. A Voidfish? I don’t know much about that. Must be a class pet. Uh-huh. But anyway, yeah, I’d love to come down to your museum and see what’s up. Tomorrow’s Bring Your Child to Work Day, so if he’s feeling up to it, is it okay if I bring my--yeah? Great! Okay. See you then.”

Taako would wonder about all this, but he’s too sick to care.

He drifts right into staticky sleep, only wondering if he’ll get better soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ugh i do not feel good about this chapter. it's too short and clunky. OH WELL. I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT, THOUGH. some big things are coming. <3;;


	20. Chapter 14, pt. 1

The next day, Angus wakes him up to see how he feels. “Taako… ...I hate to wake you, but how are you feeling, little guy?”

Taako rouses out of staticky, dreamless sleep, rubbing his eyes. It takes him a moment to figure out what Angus is asking of him and why, and he sits for a second with his thumb partially in his mouth and his arms wrapped tight around Mister Mongoose, yawning and blinking the sleep away. “Um… ...I think… ...I’m all better, Angus.”

“You _sound_ a lot better, that’s for sure,” Angus reaffirms before he feels Taako’s forehead with his hand. “Feel a lot better, too. No fever. That’s good, because I wanted to ask you about something. Something _good._ Something _exciting._ ”

“Oooh,” Taako gasps, already wide-eyed and eager. If Angus says it’s good and exciting, then he can’t _wait_ to know what it is _._ “What is it, Angus? Tell me!”

The adult smiles at how excited he is, scooping Taako up in his arms as the little elf snuggles him. “Well, today is a _special_ day.”

“Special like… ...like Candlenights?”

“Well, um,” Angus laughs, “not exactly. But that does remind me, you didn’t really get a good Candlenights with everything going on… ...hm. Maybe you should expect some presents from the Candle sometime soon, huh?”

This makes Taako even more thrilled than he was to begin with, and he all but claps his hands with joy, even as he hangs onto his mongoose friend. “Yes,” he blurts out as bluntly as possible. “I didn’t get my macarons! Or ‘nything, actually. I hope the Candlenights Candle still likes me enough to get me stuff.”

Angus chuckles again. “Oh, he _loves_ you, Taako. Don’t worry about that.”

“That’s _weird,_ ” Taako protests, wrinkling his nose. “I only love you and June the most.”

“The Candlenights Candle loves _everyone,_ ” Angus says carefully, “but everyone _should_ love you, but listen--”

“Well, I don’t love them! So _hah._ ” He tries to wriggle out of Angus’s arms, just a little. He’s getting fidgety. He’s going to grab his glasses and put them on his own face, shrieking with giggles.

“Taako!” Angus exclaims in surprise. “If you pay attention, I’ll tell you what makes today so special.”

“Yuh-hum,” he agrees, only half paying attention as he reaches for Angus’s big dumb glasses. “I’m listening, Angus.”

“Are you _really?_ Because if you’re paying attention, you’ll be less surprised when I do _this!_ ” Just like that, he hangs Taako upside down and grabs him by his feet, as the little elf cackles in delight and all of his hair flips down with him. The whole world is different from upside down, and he can’t stop giggling.

“I’m _listening,_ ” he giggles, swinging around. “I’m _listening!!_ ”

“Promise you won’t try to grab my glasses? I’ll let you try ‘em on, but you have to ask nicely.”

“I _promise,_ ” he giggles, squirming and huffing as hair gets in his face. “I promise, I _swear!_ ”

“Okay, then,” Angus agrees, and Taako is right side up again. “It’s pretty good timing that you want to try on my glasses, though. Do you know why?”

“No,” Taako admits, still beside himself. “Can I try them, though, pretty please, Angus?”

“What a nice way to ask,” Angus praises him, and Taako is so proud of himself. “Why, yes, Taako. Here you go! Be so, so careful. You only get them for a second, okay?” He _does_ hand them over, true to his word, and Taako puts them on immediately. The entire world is _so blurry_ he laughs at that, too.

“How do you _see?_ ”

“With those, silly!”

“That’s _stupid,_ ” Taako lets him know.

“Dunno what to tell you, bud. Anyway, today you get to see even _more_ what it’s like to be me. Because it’s Take Your Child to Work Day!”

Angus says this like it’s great and interesting news, but Taako can’t help but feel disappointed as he takes the glasses off as careful as he can and then leans over to place them back on the detective’s face, laughing as they’re slightly crooked and Angus has to straighten them. “But you take me _lots_ to work. That’s not special. Wait. Am I _your_ child?” He tilts his head in curiosity, ears perked up.

“I… I kinda thought so, yeah, bud. Are you okay with that?”

It’s a lot to think about, and it makes Taako a little anxious to be someone’s child now, like something bad will happen as soon as it’s said out loud. He decides _not_ to think about it too much, instead, opting to just blurt out whatever comes first into his head. “Well,” he decides, “well, if I’m gonna be anybody’s, then… ...I guess so! But I think instead, you’re my Angus.” This makes perfect sense and makes him feel better.

“Okay then,” Angus agrees. “I can handle that. Then it’s… ...Let Your Angus Take You to Work Day.”

Taako sticks his tongue out. “It isn’t _either._ You made that _up._ ”

“Maybe a little,” he admits, “but today’s going to be _different!_ A lady wants me to come solve a mystery at her museum, and I think it’d be neat if we went together. Do you want to go?”

“Yes,” he answers, and then: “What’s a museum?”

“It’s… ...like school, kind of. You go to learn, but it’s fun!”

“And I get to help you with a _magnifying glass?_ ”

“If you want, yeah! And you get to go instead of school. Just for today.”

Taako _loves_ this idea. He’ll miss his friends and Miss Lucretia, of course, but this sounds like such a new adventure, and he’s so excited to really help Angus with his big important detective job. So of course he says yes and lets Angus carry him down the stairs to have Loops, singing the whole way through. Angus promises they’ll bring the umbrella, too, like always, and it’s reassuring.

When the June lady arrives, he tells her he’s all better and he gets to go to a _museum,_ and she thinks that’s such great news, too. He doesn’t even protest when Angus dresses him in some brown-red clothes, and on the way to Angus’s work he eagerly chats with Mister Mongoose about how they’re going to do some _real_ work today like grownups, so Mister Mongoose has to be so _good,_ okay? And of course he’s going to be, because he’s Taako’s best friend in the world, and both of them want to have fun.

The only thing more exciting than the _thought_ of going to this new place is actually getting there. Angus talks to some lady over the Stone of Far Speech to find out where she is, and June pays rapt attention, but Taako can’t even focus on it. The museum is so _big,_ even just walking through the front doors, and the little elf holds onto June’s hand because Angus is a little bit busy, but he’s keeping in mind where his magnifying glass is just in case.

There’s a big dwarf man who looks a little bit scary and not that happy, and he greets them on the way in from behind a desk. At first Taako is wary of him and staying behind the adults. “Welcome to the Museum of Tomorrow, um. My name is Boyland.”

This is the most absurd name Taako’s ever heard in his _entire_ life. “Boyland? Like a land with boys?”

“I guess,” Boyland replies.

Taako bursts out into uncontrollable giggles in response. “That’s _silly._ ”

Not only is he no longer afraid, stepping out from behind June, but soon he hears the noise of a bunch of other people and is delighted to see Miss Lucretia and all his class coming through the door! “Angus, June, _look,_ ” he chirps in delight, “it’s my _class!_ ”

“Taako!!” Magnus _shouts_ in delight, running right over with Merle, Carey, and Killian and giving him a _big_ hug. “What are you _doing_ here? You didn’t show up at Miss Lucretia’s class!”

“It’s My Angus Brings Me to Work Day,” he answers very seriously, straightening the brim of his hat.

“That sounds made up,” Merle points out.

“Well, it _isn’t,_ ” Taako huffs. “You sound bad. Are you sick? I was before.”

“Yeah,” Merle says, sniffling a little. “But I had to come to school ‘cuz Mom’s busy.”

“Oh. We’re all wearing red,” Taako notes, proud as he notices it.

“I dunno,” Magnus says, looking down at his own shirt. “Mine’s kinda more purple-y.”

“Me ‘n’ _Killian_ aren’t,” Carey argues. “We’re wearing _black._ ”

“Well, I wasn’t _talking_ about _you_ guys,” Taako harrumphs. “But hi, um, guys. You both were allowed to come!”

“Yeah!” Carey smiles real wide with all pointy teeth, flailing her arms about. “My brother said that a museum has _educational value_ so’s I could go on this one, and I’m happy ‘cuz Killian gets to come along, too!” She wraps herself in a hug with Killian, which eventually turns into a little bit more wrestling before Miss Lucretia steps in.

“No _hitting,_ ” Miss Lucretia says firmly before she notices Taako and his two adults. “Oh, hello, Taako and company! I wasn’t expecting to see you today, but I’m very glad. What’s the occasion?”

“Angus, um, brought me to work today,” Taako explains, “because that’s what today is called. Hi, Miss Lucretia!”

“Is that so? Well, I hope you don’t mind if we all go together. It looks like this man is giving a tour!”

“His name’s Boyland,” Taako giggles, whispering to the group. They all laugh.

Davenport greets them all soon enough when Lucretia calls him over to make sure that everyone’s together, and finally, Barry appears. Taako has been _so worried_ about him, so he’s very relieved to see his friend again after everything, hoping that this time goes better.

“Hiya, Barold,” Taako greets him politely anyway. “Are you okay?”

“Oh, uh,” Barry answers sheepishly, “yeah, Taako. I’m okay. Things are better now. Mom says people aren’t allowed to talk to me that way anymore.”

“ _Good,_ ” Taako says as they move along. “I _hated_ that guy.”

“Me, _too,_ ” agrees Magnus. Merle nods.

“What guy?” Killian asks. Everyone agrees she’s not missing out on much.

“Yeah, anyway,” Barry begins, “don’t worry, Taako. I’m… I’m actually really excited to go to this museum! It seems really fun. You might not like it, though.”

Before Taako has a chance to ask why Miss Lucretia instructs everyone to pay attention to Boyland. He’s suddenly aware of how they’re now in a sort of darker room because everything looks a little bit grey, and there’s a lot of water and two boats on tracks. It’s a ride into the rest of the museum, and Taako’s only ever been on one other ride so he’s a little nervous, but with some reassurance from Angus and June he climbs into the boat, tugging his hat down over his ears a little.

“Please keep all hands and feet inside the ride at _all times,_ but uh, above all? Have fun.”

This is not the most enthusiastic thing Taako has ever heard, but he makes sure his hands and feet are inside the boat by clinging onto Angus, who reassures him and ruffles his hair. Magnus and Merle are on this boat with him, but everyone else is on the other one. When it finally starts moving, it’s a little more downwards than Taako anticipated, and soon he finds he’s closing his eyes and just _clinging_ to the adults. Magnus seems to be enjoying it, along with Carey. He can hear them _yelling,_ but for one second, he just wants everyone to go away.

“You’re doing _so good,_ Taako,” Angus lets him know. “Isn’t he, June?”

“Just wonderful, baby,” she says, making sure he knows she’s there.

“D’you have my umbrella?” He doesn’t know why he asks it.

“We sure do, Pumpkin. It’s okay. You’re okay.”

This makes things a little better. When they finally get off the boat, Taako feels safer being on solid ground again. “You’re right,” he tells Barry, still feeling somewhat shaky. “I didn’t like that at _all._ ”

Barry looks awkward and nervous now. “Oh, no, Taako. That’s not why.”

Taako is about to ask, but there’s a song coming from some loudspeakers that interrupts _everything._

 _“Ripped from my house inside a mist,  
_ _adrift in the black I flit solo.  
_ _Now I’ve returned so sorely missed,  
_ _forever to rule upon my throne_  
here in my Crystal Kingdom.”

His ears perk up at the noise, and he tilts his head curiously at how none of the adults around him seem to expect it. “Why, ‘cuz of that? That’s just music!”

“Um, no,” Barry tries. “In fact, I--I don’t think that’s supposed to happen.”

Taako would worry about this, except that something else is catching his attention _entirely._ There are a bunch of shards of pink crystal forming together in a part of this room to make something that looks vaguely like a tiny person about his size, maybe a little taller. No one else seems to notice this at first, and all the adults seem weirdly oblivious to it, but he tugs at all of his friends until _they’ve_ noticed.

“What _is_ it?” He wonders.

“Seems like a golem,” Barry says, and Davenport agrees.

“What’s that?”

“It’s like, a creature made of magic.”

“I’m gonna go _fight_ it!”

“Magnus, _no,_ ” Merle hisses. “We should be _careful--_ ”

But something inside Taako tells him to move towards it without fear, much friendlier and less cautious than he usually is. Everyone is hissing at him to come back, but he can’t tear himself away, curious about this all pink and spiky thing. “Hi,” he tries, “my name is Taako, and you look like you’re made of salt!”

It responds by getting up _way_ closer than Taako thought it would, which makes him a little nervous despite everything, and he backs up warily as he holds onto his hat. “Hey, salt,” he tries again, “don’t worry, okay? I--I won’t hurt you! I don’t know _how_ to hurt salt in the first place. Plus, pink’s my favorite.”

All of his friends have rushed over to him, and now the pink salt seems intent on going towards Magnus, only to back up again before going to Merle, who starts to cry in fear of it. When he starts to cry, it stops, seeming to look over at something none of them can see. This bit of hesitance helps Merle overcome his fear, and he wipes his tears. “Hey, we--we just wanna talk to you!”

Suddenly, the salt friend turns. “ _You,_ ” it growls.

They all back up at first, but Magnus steps in front of Merle protectively. “I can _fight,_ though, if I gotta.”

“No _hitting,_ Magnus,” Taako complains. “Miss Lucretia said _no hitting._ I think it’s scared.”

“ _It’s_ scared,” Merle stutters. “ _I’m_ scared! I think Magnus is allowed to hit.”

“ _No,_ ” Taako insists. “I don’t think we--I don’t think we should touch it.”

“Why?” Even Barry asks.

“I… I don’t know. Um. Let’s… ...let’s be friendly.” Taako has no clue what he’s doing, but he tries to get a little close again, even crouching down a little so this pink salt knows that he doesn’t want to hurt it. “These… ...these are my friends, see? I--I don’t like peanuts. What’s some stuff about you guys?”

Magnus is narrowing his eyes, still not trusting. “I--I’m four hundred years old.”

Taako rolls his eyes. “Magnus! Don’t be like that. What else, dummies?”

“I--I like to walk on the beach,” Merle tries.

“See?” Taako smiles at the friend. “We’re okay and small, like you. Can you talk?”

Instead of talking, it looks back like it doesn’t know what to do before it _screams._ This spooks _everyone_ in the group before anyone else can try to talk, so they all try their best at running away, with Magnus pulling Taako along and Merle holding hands with Davenport and Carey and Killian going together. They don’t know where they’re running; it doesn’t matter. They just _run._

As they run, Taako looks behind him to see the pink salt falling to the ground, some kind of light leaving it. He doesn’t know how to feel about it, and he doesn’t quite know why, but he can’t convince anyone to slow down. Soon they come to a crossroads with two paths and a sign saying what each one is, and they stop to look.

“Barry, Merle,” Magnus says, “you guys can read. What’s it say?”

“Um,” Barry stutters, before looking at Merle. “Well, one of them is definitely where our class is.”

“Yeah,” Merle says, “but--”

“Then what are we _waiting_ for?” Magnus yells. “Let’s go!!”

Before Taako can react, he’s _pulled_ along by Magnus, and it isn’t until they stop that he realizes what Barry’s been hinting at all along.

“Oh, no,” he whispers. “I _hate_ it.”

Nearly every single place they look has an elevator.

He has a feeling it’s going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god this was so incredibly fun to write i can't even lie to you. LMAO. HERE WE ARE, GUYS. FINALLY. CRYSTAL KINGDOM. one of my most fav arcs and the arc that helped me decide that i was Super In Love with this podcast!! also has my VERY FAVORITE MUSIC (the OST is one of my most listened to albums of all time). HAVE FUN as i take u on this journey and thanks always for caring and commenting, as usual <3 i love you!


	21. Chapter 14, pt. 2

Taako barely has any time to process how horrible the  _ elevators _ are because he spots Angus and immediately  _ runs _ to him, deciding to stick to him like glue. He’s with June and most of Taako’s class, and a woman is gesturing to different elevators and talking about them. He doesn’t care about any of them, clinging, and Magnus interrupts this new lady leading everyone next.

“Angus, a golem  _ sang _ to us,” he blurts out. 

“A  _ crystal _ golem,”  Barry clarifies, popping up right next to them all.

They have not only Angus’s full attention now, but the attention of the lady leading the whole group, and she stops gesturing to various  _ horrible _ elevators and raises an eyebrow. “Hmm.”

Taako is intimidated by this woman he’s never met before, such a big deal that even  _ the teacher _ has to listen to her, and he clings to Angus’s leg as he looks up at her with wide eyes.   


“Well,  _ that _ definitely shouldn’t happen,” he addresses Magnus, and then this other lady. “From what I can tell, we might be dealing with something called the Philosopher’s Stone? Leon thinks it fits that description pretty well, uh. It’s a pretty powerful cyphon for transmutation magic, and it allows you to turn material into other material, but um… ... _ animating _ stuff? Leon never said anything about that. I think that might be beyond its capabilities.”

“We saw a  _ demon, _ ” Magnus continues to insist, too loudly.

“It wasn’t a  _ demon, _ Magnus.” Taako rolls his eyes. “It was a  _ salt friend. _ ”

Magnus huffs, walking alongside them all. “Yeah, well, it was a light, it sang, it was really  _ creepy. _ ”

“We don’t  _ know _ that it  _ sang, _ ” Taako points out. “We jus’ heard some music.  _ I _ couldn’t even get it to talk ‘cuz you guys were bein’  _ mean. _ ”

“We weren’t  _ mean, _ ” Magnus protests. “It just didn’t wanna  _ talk. _ ”

Angus hears them out patiently. “How did it find you? Tell me everything.”

Magnus does, although occasionally Taako  _ has _ to interject because he’s wrong, and Merle has to interject because he’s  _ Merle. _ Taako enjoys the way that Angus listens to him though, not like he’s just a kid, but like he has something very important to say. And all of this is very important, so he does listen and then he says, “Um, uh. Yeah, it sounds like maybe it was inspirited by, uh, by some kind of ghost or something like that. Did it come through a rift?”

They all blink at him blankly. Taako’s reassured by that face, though. That’s the face Angus makes when he’s thinking about something  _ really _ hard. “Well, if it did, ghosts can’t do that… ...I  _ did _ bring some of my books that could help me figure out what we’re up against. I’ll see what I can do.”

The lady is watching them intently. “So in addition to all this, my museum is haunted?”

“I don’t think so,” Angus stammers. “Not quite, Miss Miller. Don’t worry. I’m on the case.”

“Let us know if you know anything,” Magnus says, trying to sound so grown up.

Angus laughs, ruffling his hair, and Taako feels a little jealous. “Of course I will! I love you guys.”

“I love you, too!” Magnus chirrups without hesitation.

...That makes Taako feel  _ even  _ weirder.

Merle doesn’t feel much better about it, evidently. “Shut up,” he grumbles, looking conflicted. “Please--no.”

“I like Angus,” Magnus whispers to no one in particular. “He’s really good.”

Taako already  _ knows _ Angus is good, so he doesn’t need to pay much mind to them anymore and starts to focus on the place they’re in instead, huffing as his eyes land on a bucket and some rope. He gets up close to it, mumbling in confusion because “ _ that’s _ not an elevator,” before some nasty  _ bugs _ crawl up out of it. He  _ squishes _ one just to get his weird angry jealous feelings out, and Magnus gets one  _ eagerly, _ almost laughing. Merle misses his, and Taako laughs.

“Hey, Merle,” he chirrups, smug grin on his face, “why do you, um… ...why do you love  _ bugs _ so much?”

“Yeah,  _ why? _ ” Magnus echoes, thankfully not focused on loving Angus anymore.

“Shut up!” 

“Bug lover!” 

Taako snickers and gives Magnus a big grin. “I thought you hated them  _ so bad. _ ”

“Shut up, you guys!”

Barry’s more focused on the  _ elevators, _ which Taako especially doesn’t understand, but he disappears and then reappears while peering at the signs with words he can’t read. “Says here that this was made someone called Roman Miller… It really isn’t very good.”

“Davenport,” Davenport agrees. 

Barry seems to realize he’s been too blunt, though, and clamps his hands over his mouth. “Sorry, ma’am,” he stammers to the lady leading everyone through this terrible elevator place. “I--I’m sure it was really good sometime, right? It just looks… ... _ bad. _ ”

When the lady laughs, it’s almost musical. “Don’t worry about it! It  _ was _ pretty bad. That was the first, uh, concept of the elevator. My granddad really had to work to nail that one down.” She’s wearing an all-white coat and a shiny badge with more words on, and she smiles a lot, actually, fiddling with her glasses in the way that Angus does sometimes. 

“Your  _ grandfather _ made all this? Isn’t that fascinating, children?”

Taako does  _ not _ think so, wrinkling his nose. He hates to disagree so much with Miss Lucretia, but.  _ No. _ He sticks out his tongue but doesn’t dare to say anything, as they move onto another bucket-lookin’ thing, and then--then there’s this. One.

With a  _ face. _

It’s like a face made by someone who… ...isn’t very good at faces. It’s trying to smile, but it… ...can’t, because it’s an elevator? And it has eyes with  _ thick lashes, _ and it’s all Taako can do not to picture the tongue and the teeth, darting warily behind Angus and holding June’s hand and  _ staying _ there.

“‘Upsy, Your Lifting Friend,’” Barry reads with a certain amount of skepticism.

“ _ Friend? _ ” Taako’s disgusted and horrified. He’s  _ disgustified. _

“Ain’t no friend of  _ mine, _ ” Merle asserts, holding Davenport’s hand a little.

“Me either,” agrees Carey. So does Killian.

“I dunno," Magnus says as the odd one out. “He’s not  _ so _ bad.”

Even Miss Lucretia stares at him for that one.

The tall lady in the white coat and glasses looks somewhat embarrassed. “No, it’s--it’s okay. Upsy wasn’t… ...um, my granddad’s finest work. He was  _ supposed _ to be for kids like you, but um--”

“Kids like  _ us? _ ” Taako asks again, eyes wide as he holds onto June still. She gives him a reassuring pat.

“What, like to  _ eat _ us?” Merle asks shortly thereafter, still looking after Davenport.

“ _ No!! _ ” The lady tries to reassure them. “Um, no. He was supposed to be… ...fun, you know?”

None of them know.

After getting no response from them, the lady fiddles with her glasses some more and clears her throat. “Now if you’ll  _ please, _ ” she says as assertively as she can, gesturing outward, and Miss Lucretia reminds them to pay attention to what “Miss Miller” has to say, “direct your attention to this other side of the wall… These are my father’s elevators. They’re, um, a  _ lot _ better. There was a lot of improvement--”

“‘Upsy the Rad Lifting Dude,’” Barry reads aloud, raising an eyebrow at an elevator that’s basically the scary one but with sunglasses on.

“He was the  _ good _ one, I swear,” Miss Miller insists, gesturing to another elevator that’s blue and sad-looking. “This was Downzo, his nemesis! It was--it was a whole  _ thing. _ Commercial failure, though.” She sighs as they reach the end of the line to see just another elevator, and Taako is suspicious and worried he’s going to get dragged onto one of these at any possible moment, keeping his ears up and his eyes peeled.

“Such  _ interesting _ stuff, huh, angel?” June asks kindly.

He doesn’t say anything.

“Now, uh,” Miss Miller continues on, clearing her throat some more. “If you’ll look to the other far end of this room, you’ll see… ...probably our most forward-thinking project yet. It’s um, there’s only a demo for now, but it’s called the Elevator of Tomorrow! I’m pretty proud of it, and the miniature model of Neverwinter is as  _ accurate as possible, _ so if you guys could get on it real fast--”

Taako _flinches_ in horror, staring at the thing. “ _No._ _I’m not doing it._ ”

The lady looks like she has  _ no idea _ how to respond to this, even though she should because elevators are the  _ worst _ things in the  _ entire world. _ “Okay, well don’t say--”

“ _ I’m never getting in an elevator again, _ ” he insists, yelling  _ loudly. _ “No  _ more! _ ”

“Let’s not--don’t say anything you’re going to regret, okay?” The woman is still trying to calm him down, but the little elf will  _ not _ be calmed, and he’s all but stopped moving with the group and  _ even _ holding June’s hand.

“ _ No, _ ” Taako continues to assert. “Not a  _ million-bajillion! _ ”

This lady clearly has no idea what to do. “The--the demo takes three minutes. You just go in there and you do the demo and it--it--”

“No  _ way!! _ ” He stomps his feet for emphasis.

“Want some water?” Merle asks softly. “Sometimes that helps  _ me _ when I--”

“Nooo _ OOO _ elevators for  _ Taako!! NO. _ ” He huffs and crosses his arms.

“‘kay, then  _ I’ll _ do it,” Magnus agrees happily.

Which is fine, but then he starts trying to drag Taako along.

“Wh--why can’t--why did--” It takes Taako a moment to realize what’s happening, and then he tries to go as limp as possible while  _ also _ swinging his arms. “I don’t  _ need  _ to do this! I don’t  _ wanna. _ Magnus, I don’t  _ wanna. _ ”

“C’mon, buddy,” he says with surprising calmness and strength, dragging a completely limp and flailing Taako along.

“Magnus, I’m gonna  _ bite _ you,” he hisses. “I give  _ no shits. _ ”

“You know some colorful language, don’t you, uh, Taako?”

“ _ Bite _ me, lady. There’s lots of biting if you don’t  _ stop right now. _ ”

Miss Lucretia sighs, rubbing her temples. “Magnus, stop trying to get Taako to go on the elevator. Taako,  _ biting is not allowed. _ Okay? Now let’s just calmly figure out who’s going to go.”

“I’m still  _ goin’, _ ” Magnus insists, all but forgetting about taking Taako and bounding in the elevator.

“I’ll go too,” Merle decides.

“I’m  _ not _ going,” Taako says firmly, but he’s crying.

“Okay, Taako. No one’s makin’ you go, sweet pea.” June is reassuring him, wiping his tears with kleenex. “In fact, how about we have ourselves some lunch while everyone else is doin’ this, hm? I brought a tuna fish sandwich. Have you ever had a tuna fish sandwich? It’s got lettuce ‘n’ tomato on it.”

“I like fish,” he sniffles, still kinda pouty. “I think.”

“Okay.” She ruffles around in her bag until she produces the sandwich. “There you go, pumpkin. One for you ‘n’ one for me ‘n’ one for Angus if he gets hungry.”

“Thanks, June,” he sniffles. “Sorry I said I’d bite. ‘cuz that’s bad.”

“It  _ is _ bad, but you didn’t do it, so I’m proud of you. It’s okay to eat. I brought some Triscuits, too. You like those?”

Taako has no idea, but as he munches down on all of it, he gets to watch the rest of the group go through the ride. It apparently involves pretending the miniature city is gigantic or something, ‘cuz suddenly Magnus and (after getting an elbow from Magnus) Merle are pretending they’ve shrunk and they have to fight bugs.

“Oh, no, Merle,” Magnus says loudly from inside, “you didn’t kill that bug so now we have to fight it!”

“I’m  _ sorry! _ ” Merle apologizes with exaggeration.

“If  _ only _ we had a  _ wizard _ with us,” Magnus yells, giggling.

Taako giggles too as he comes over and looms over the tiny Neverwinter, making claws like he’s a monster. “ _ I am Taakozilla, hear me roar!! _ ” He makes exaggerated roaring noises, giggling and running all around. Miss Miller  _ and _ Miss Lucretia try to remind him not to  _ touch _ the miniature Neverwinter, so he doesn’t. He just stomps around with his sandwich.

“I  _ hit _ the bug with an  _ axe!! _ ” Magnus yells proudly.

“Lookin’  _ good! _ ” He cheers happily, waving his sandwich in the air. “Go  _ get _ ‘em!”

“Oh, I got its  _ antennae off!! _ ”

“ _ Gross, _ ” Taako giggles nonetheless. “ _ Ew. _ ”

“Yeah, it’s  _ nasty, _ ” Merle laughs. “It’s spittin’  _ slime _ at us both now.”

“Oooohhh  _ noooo!! _ ” Taako howls, giggling and flailing. “How  _ gross! _ ”

“I got out of the way, though,” Magnus insists, darting a little ways past Merle.

“I didn’t, oh  _ nooooo, _ ” Merle howls. “Oh, no, this is soooo  _ disgusting _ . Get  **_out_ ** of here bug!! I don’t  _ love _ you anymore!!”

“This room is pretty  _ dirty, _ ” Magnus notes. “Dirty and  _ boring. _ Why doesn’t Miss Miller  _ clean _ it?”

“Yeah,” Taako asks, “why don’t you  _ clean _ it?”

“I  _ do _ clean it,” she murmurs. “I promise, I do!”

Miss Lucretia pats her arm and assures her that children are a handful.

This seems true.

Magnus is riled up, though. “It’s super great! I love your  _ shitty elevator _ and your  _ weird glass town. _ ”

Everyone is beside themselves, giggling not only because Magnus is being so mean to Miss Miller, but because he said a  _ bad word  _ (paying no mind to the fact that Taako said it earlier). Barry just about trips up over himself to point this out to his mom, who sighs and tells him she  _ knows, _ and she gets that very serious and stern face on as she instructs everyone to be  _ nice _ to Miss Miller.

“It’s been  _ wonderful, _ ” she says very seriously, “to see what Miss Miller imagines in the future. It’s been  _ so good, _ and if we can’t be on our best behavior and reflect this, then we are just going to have to get back on the school bus. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Miss Lucretia,” the entire class murmurs, staring at the floor.

“Did you see the airships?” Miss Miller asks of them all, still uncomfortable.

“Yeah, that was great,” says Magnus, and then he whispers: “You’re a real  _ dork. _ ”

Miss Lucretia glowers at him sternly.

“I--I thought they were a nice touch,” says Miss Miller, adjusting her glasses.

Magnus starts to say something else, grinning from ear to ear, but after he sees Miss Lucretia’s face he doesn’t. “I liked how they were, um, there.”

“Yeah, they were there for sure.”

“And actually, Taako, you can appreciate this too, if you pay attention to the top of this building over here--”

“Oh,  _ no, _ ” Magnus blurts out. “Merle sent the bug away but it’s back now, oh nooo! It’s on that building Miss Miller said, oh  _ nooo!! _ ”

“Well,” sighs Miss Miller, “at least everyone was paying attention a little bit.”

But Taako doesn’t care, racing over to help his friends and putting his fingers all over the glass over the little town. “Why’s it doin’ that when there’s  _ another sandwich in there? _ ” It’s a trick; he’s being tricky. There’s no sandwich but the one in his hands, and he giggles even as he makes a big show of it.

Magnus can tell. “Well, Taako’s trying his best,” he says. “We have to  _ protect Taako!! _ ”

“This is a tough group to keep focused,” Miss Lucretia reassures Miss Miller. “Don’t worry. Can everyone direct their attention--”

“It  _ bit  _ me,” Magnus howls dramatically, “oh,  _ augh. _ ”

“I’m gonna heal him with  _ prayers, _ ” Merle says very seriously, “don’t  _ worry! _ ”

“Can everyone--”

“Never mind, never  _ mind, _ ” Merle insists. “I’m gonna stomp him with a  _ big shoe!! _ ...From Pan. Yeah. ...Oh, nope. It didn’t work. The bug kinda liked it.”

Taako scowls at the make-believe bug, even from outside the glass. “Well, I’m gonna… I’m gonna make it look like there’s a really  _ good sandwich _ like my sandwich. But it’s not my sandwich,” he adds, “‘cuz  _ no one _ can take my sandwich, ever.” He clings to it tightly. “ _ Ever. _ ”

Merle rolls his eyes. “No one’s gonna take your dumb  _ sandwich, _ okay, Taako?”

“Fine,” Taako allows warily, backing up and eating some more of it. “I won’t let ‘em.”

“Can everyone  _ please-- _ ”

“Ohhh,” Magnus wails, then laughs. “Oh, he’s  _ got me still! _ Oh, he wants to go get the sandwich but he’s got me ‘n’ then I--’n’ then I  **_grab him and start ripping him apart!!_ ** And all his  _ goop’s _ all  **_over_ ** the place!! And it’s  _ super gross ‘n’ terrible ‘n’ _ oh, the elevator thing’s over.”

Sure enough, Taako watches as the elevator ride is done and the little lights on it flicker off, still clutching and eating his sandwich. June is done with hers, so he grabs hold of her hand with his free hand since Angus is still reading and mumbling to himself about some detective things.

Miss Lucretia sighs. “I’m sorry, putting children this age in a confined space--”

“No,” Miss Miller insists, “it’s--it’s okay. Great work, guys. Did you like my city?”

“Yeah,” Magnus says as Miss Lucretia eyes him the  _ most _ carefully, “it was great! I’m gonna put some of this bug in my bag now and take it home.”

“What if  _ I _ get some of the bug, too?” Merle asks.

“They’re  _ my _ bug parts!”

“No, they’re  _ not! _ ”

“Hey wait,” Taako wonders, ears perking up, “do  _ I _ get some?”

“ _ No, _ ” Merle insists. “You were eating a  _ sandwich, Sandwich Boy. _ ”

Out of nowhere, Magnus gives Taako a hug. This is  _ really _ surprising, and it’s a good thing he’s able to finish up the sandwich before it happens. He sort of just stands there, arms uncomfortably at his sides. “Um,” he says.

“Thank you for all you tried to do,” Magnus says sincerely.

“Uh, well,” he stammers, “I--”

“You worked so hard to help, and that’s so good!”

Taako feels proud now. He’s the  _ best _ at playing pretend. “Yeah, did you see the sandwich?”

“I  _ did. _ ”

“Thanks for risking your sandwich,” Merle thanks him just as sincerely.

“Well--well it was a  _ pretend _ sandwich. I’d never risk my  _ real _ sandwich. But I made up a fake one for you.”

“Look,” Magnus blurts out, “I’ll have one bug bit ‘n’ Merle can have the other bug bit ‘n’ we’re best friends!”

Merle laughs. Taako wishes  _ he _ could have bug bits, but it occurs to him that that’s a little bit gross, so he forgets about it pretty quick. Especially because after this, Miss Lucretia says she needs  _ everyone’s attention, _ and that means Taako, Magnus, and Merle too. They’re going into another place now, and the little elf would like to look obedient for his favorite people, so he follows without complaint.

Miss Miller is smiling, now, still fiddling with her glasses. “I think you guys’ll, uh, find this  _ next _ room to be much more to your liking.”

Suddenly, it’s all dark. Taako keeps a hold on June, who’s holding the bag with the umbrella and Mister Mongoose in it. Magnus and Merle hold hands. Even Barry floats close to Davenport, and everyone is silent as they look all around and see… ...one area all lit up. On that area is  _ such a cute robot, _ and he’s so tiny. At first his face is sleepy and doesn’t notice any of them, but when the door shuts with a  _ hiss _ and Taako starts, a little tune begins to play and the robot  _ springs _ to life, smiling.

“Go on,” urges Miss Miller. “Go on and play with him! It’s okay.”

Of  _ course _ Magnus is the first to run up, dragging Merle along. Davenport isn’t too far after, and Barry seems curious about what this thing could be, so he disappears and reappears super close to it. Killian and Carey are next. Taako has to look to June for reassurance, but she urges him to “go on then,” so he warily approaches the thing, then startles when it begins to  _ talk. _

“Hello there,” it says in a weird voice, “my name is Hodge Podge! Are you kids ready to  _ learn? _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY, IT'S HODGE PODGE!! more soon tbh. <3 i just thought this was a good place to end a chapter. SO HERE'S THIS. thank you always for your support and love.


	22. Chapter 14, pt. 3

“Wow,” Barry coos, pretty fascinated. “I mean, uh, yes. We are. Right, guys?”

Everyone agrees, slightly mesmerized by this new robot with a friendly face.

“Please say your names,” it asks, super friendly.

“MAGNUS!!”

“Magnus,” the robot repeats.

“Wow, that hurt my throat a little bit.”

“Then don’t _yell,_ genius,” Merle chides. “Oh, uh. Merle.”

“Merle,” the robot repeats again.

“Taako,” Taako finally offers, really paying attention to this thing now.

“Tay-ko,” says the robot.

“No, it’s Taa--”

“Davenport,” Davenport blurts out eagerly.

“Davenport,” says the robot.

“CAREY!!” Carey yells in the fashion of her best friend, giggling.

The robot repeats this too.

“Killian,” Killian adds, also giggling at Carey’s antics, and the robot knows.

“And um, also Barry,” Barry finally offers last of all.

“Welcome,” says the robot. “Thank you for playing! Are you _excited_ to learn?”

Barry is kind of perplexed that the robot didn’t pick up on his name, but everyone agrees that they are excited, nonetheless. Magnus and Carey all but _yell_ it, and they’re both jumping up and down, but it’s easy to see that everyone wants to know what this robot has in store for them.

“Please select a difficulty setting: child, adult, or master.”

“Chi--child!!” Magnus yells, really beside himself now.

“Child accepted,” says the robot. “Child mode activated.”

Before anyone does anything, Taako looks back at Angus and tugs a little on his shirt. “Angus,” he says urgently.

“What’s up, little guy?” Angus is distracted, more distracted than Taako would like with going through books and some papers or something like that, but he tries his best. “What’s, uh, what’s crackin’?”

“This robot _sounds_ like you, Angus,” he insists. “You have the same… ...voice.” No, that’s not it, that’s not what he means, but he doesn’t know how else to put it. “You both say the same _smart things._ In a nice way!”

“I’m glad you think I’m nice, buddy,” Angus says, and then he looks up from all of his stuff to grin with that playful twinkle in his eye that Taako likes so much. “But do you think _I’m_ a robot?”

This is hilarious, because Angus is obviously _not_ a robot at all, and Taako can’t control his laughter about it. “Yes,” he lies, smiling big and wide. “A friendly robot!”

“No,” Magnus yells at the same time.

“Thank you, Magnus,” Angus says, that silly tone in his voice still. “That’s just right. I’m a flesh boy.”

Even Merle laughs now. “Oh _no,_ that--it just gets _worse!!_ ”

Taako is _beside_ himself now. “That’s the _worst_ way you can say--”

“A _flesh boy?!_ ”

Angus smiles, and it’s so genuine as he helps straighten Taako’s hat. “Okay, I have to get back to work now,” he tells them all, “but do you need anything before I do?”

“No,” Magnus says surprisingly calmly.

“Well, we are about to get _blown up,_ ” says Merle out of nowhere.

This is absurd, so Taako plays along of course. “Yeah, we’re not talking to you, so you’re not _there_ now.” Playing pretend is fun.

Angus continues to be very much there as he keeps doing work and detective things that Taako doesn’t quite understand, and June helps him for the moment, but now everyone’s ready to listen to Miss Lucretia, who tells them to listen to Miss Miller before they really start playing and learning with Hodge Podge.

“This is Hodge Podge,” she says, “the Buddy Bot. He’s one of the inventions I’m proudest of, because he’s going to teach children like you to become sharp like me! We can’t have a better tomorrow if the _children_ of tomorrow--that’s you--aren’t educated to become whip-smart adults! So I made Hodge Podge to pass some of my intellect onto future generations!”

Most of them stare at her blankly.

“He’s a real sweetheart,” she insists.

“ _Cool,_ ” Magnus decides with his usual enthusiasm. “What’s he do?”

Miss Miller fidgets with her glasses. “He just, y’know, quizzes you on stuff! And you learn and you become smarter by being quizzed on stuff.”

“You get smarter?”

“That sounds fine and everything,” Magnus says as he hops from foot to foot, “but _uuhgh whataboutthefire??_ ”

“What about the what?” Miss Miller is so lost.

“Whoa, yeah,” Merle agrees. “That’s _definitely_ a thing.”

“No, it _isn’t,_ ” Taako insists. He doesn’t like this game very much suddenly.

“Yeah, it _is,_ ” Magnus keeps going, though. “We have to learn or the entire _room_ is gonna go up in--”

“ _No,_ ” Taako spits, angry tears in his eyes already. “I’m _not_ playing!”

Miss Lucretia is quick to intervene, and her eyes are kind and nice. “Magnus, Taako doesn’t like to play games like that. He’s gone through some very scary things. Can you play with Hodge Podge without that?”

“Oh,” Magnus says, “yeah. I didn’t know.”

“Okay, good. Can you apologize to Taako?”

Taako has his hands over his hat now, wrenching it down over his ears. Magnus apologizes anyway, though, which is pretty nice of him and Miss Lucretia thinks so, too. She thinks he’s done such a good job, and she tells him so, and soon everything is forgiven. They’re ready to play with Hodge Podge again, all crowded around him.

“Please select a category, kids.”

“Thank you,” Magnus tells Hodge Podge, patting him.

“The categories are: math, science, magic, spelling, problem-solving, history.”

Magnus looks puzzled already. “So not--? Okay.”

“Nothing about movies?” Merle asks.

“Nothing about _food?_ ” Taako wonders. That’s one of his favorite subjects of all.

The robot just repeats the categories again.

“Okay, then,” the elf decides, pulling his hat up a little and feeling proud. “I’ll take _magic._ ”

“We’ll start with magic,” the robot allows. “Child mode. Name a spell.”

“Zone of Truth!” Merle yells before Taako even has a chance to answer.

“ _Merle,_ ” Taako complains, “ _I_ was gonna do that one.”

“I got excited,” Merle shrugs. “Sorry. Should’ve been quicker.”

“That’s right,” says the robot anyway. “That’s a spell! Discrepancy detected,” it says next, and _none_ of them know what that word means. “Error detected. Please wait. Biometric scans show none of you are children.”

All of them blink in absolute confusion. Taako is _definitely_ a child last he checked. “Um.”

“Yeah, we are!” Magnus insists.

Miss Miller looks embarrassed. “No, you definitely _are_ all children, for sure. Hodge Podge is still in development, so he… ...makes errors like that sometimes. Sorry about that. Isn’t he neat, though?”

“Difficulty setting changed to master,” says Hodge Podge.

“I’m _really_ good at spelling,” Merle insists.

“Um, like _how_ good, Merle?” Barry asks. “‘cuz I dunno if any of us can complete, uh, master spelling…”

“Spelling or problem-solving,” Magnus whispers excitedly.

“Spelling selected,” says the robot.

“What?”

“What? No! Wait! Wait!”

“Please spell the name of the magical creature ‘aarakocra.’ Please spell ‘aarakocra.’”

Magnus almost seems to think about it. “...No. Wait, E-R-I-C--”

A beeping noise is heard.

“Incorrect. Please wait,” says the robot.

...and nothing happens.

Miss Miller sighs. “Sorry, guys. This thing’s so _new,_ it--”

“Wait a second, lady,” Taako asks of her, and then he goes back to Angus. “Angus, how do you spell… ...that? What the robot said.”

 _This_ gets Angus to stop and pay attention for a second, as Taako knew it would. “You wanna know how to spell somethin’, buddy?”

“Say it _again,_ ” Taako demands of the robot very seriously.

“‘Aarakocra.’”

“Oh, that one’s easy,” Angus murmurs, still flipping through pages. “‘A-A-R-A-K-O-C-R-A.’ That what you’re looking for?”

“Yes,” Taako lets him know, so proud of his Angus right then. “‘nks, Angus.”

“Additional voice detected. Are you receiving outside help?”

“No,” Taako lies easily.

“Lying detected. Contact with outside source must be _terminated._ ”

Taako has no idea what this means, but it doesn’t sound good as he looks anxiously to Angus and June. Suddenly, two glass walls come down, separating Taako from Angus _and_ June and trapping him in with Hodge Podge and everyone else.

Now it’s time to panic and meltdown. He doesn’t even make words--all he can think is that June has the umbrella _and_ Mister Mongoose, Angus is--Angus is _Angus,_ and he sinks to the floor despondently. June gets Angus’s attention and suddenly they’re _both_ alarmed, trying to ask a lot of questions of Miss Miller. Taako doesn’t care, though. He starts to _hyperventilate,_ not taking in enough air as he pulls his hat over his ears and claws desperately for them all at once. There are tears in his eyes.

June is trying to tell him something. He can’t hear her.

Angus is trying to tell him something, looking determined.

He rests his hand up against the glass and Taako puts his hand there, too, tears spilling down his cheeks.

“Please select a category.”

Magnus _turns_ on the robot and its smiling face, angry and ready to punch it. “Look what you _did._ Angus was just trying to _help._ This is the worst ‘n’ we’re just _kids,_ okay?”

“It’s gonna be okay, you guys,” Barry says with certainty. “My mom and Miss Miller’ll figure out how to get us out. I… I could go right through, but I--”

“Barold,” Taako blurts, voice small as he looks up from his spot on the floor, curled up. “Don’t _leave me._ Please don’t leave me, _please._ ”

Barry disappears and reappears right next to Taako, looking serious. “I--I won’t, Taako. Pinky swear.”

“‘kay.” It’s babyish of him probably, but Taako sticks his thumb in his mouth. He needs comfort right now.

“Let’s just answer these questions,” Barry says, adjusting his glasses, “okay? Maybe then it’ll let us out.”

They have to convince Killian and Magnus that they aren’t strong enough to break through the glass, but once they do that, it’s easy to commit.

“Math,” Taako tries glumly. He doesn’t care.

“History,” Merle says at the exact same time, going to pat Taako on the shoulder.

“Oh, that’s good, I guess,” Taako shrugs.

“No,” contradicts Magnus much too loudly, “we don’t _know_ about history! We can’t even remember what we’re doing right now!”

Barry looks at Magnus. “Magnus,” he says, “what do you know about _math?_ ”

“Oh,” Magnus realizes. “You’re right, I don’t really--”

“Math history,” Hodge Podge proclaims, smiling as always. “Who is the inventor of math?”

“Doug Math,” Taako answers without a second thought.

Barry blinks. “Oh, no. That _can’t_ be the name of a real--”

“That’s _right,_ ” says Hodge Podge merrily, making a little happy beep noise.

Everyone is staring at Taako now, wondering how he knew. To be honest, _he_ doesn’t even know how he knew; he adjusts his hat and tells everyone that thing is _broken,_ he was just makin’ stuff up. Magnus is still surprised and impressed, though. He’s a good friend.

“Now it’s time for a round,” trills the robot, “called ‘Stump Hodge Podge.’ Can the three of you come up with a question that will stump your BuddyBot HodgePodge? I will warn you: I possess an almanac of complete world knowledge.”

None of them know what that means, but when Merle looks confident and claims to have an answer, he steps forward. Magnus pats him on the back with encouragement as he does, and all eyes are on him now as the dwarf asks, “What is love?”

Unfortunately, the robot answers right back. “Love is a feeling of strong or constant affection from one person to another.”

Everyone blinks, then Magnus groans. “You should’ve asked what love _feels_ like, stupid!”

“You’re _wrong,_ ” Merle insists anyway. “It’s like tennis!”

“I am not wrong. No. You are the wrong one. I am right. That is what love is.”

Magnus sighs. “We each get to ask somethin’, right?”

“I think that would be only fair, Magnus.”

With that, Magnus turns, looking guilty. “That was my question.”

Before they can say anything, the robot addresses Taako by the wrong name. It just makes this whole situation so much worse. “Tay-ko,” it says, “final chance!”

Taako just wants to pout. He wants to _scream._ He wants to pull his hat down so far it goes over his eyes and _sit_ because he doesn’t have Angus, he doesn’t have June, he doesn’t have the umbrella, and he doesn’t have Mister Mongoose. This is the _worst_ situation ever and he _hates_ it and he wants to cry but instead, he stands up and faces the robot. “I know. Why did the chicken… ...cross the road?”

He’s _glaring_ at the robot now. He hates it _so much._

“This sounds like a hypothetical question or, perhaps, even a joke. This is not so much a question, as much as it is the setup for a riddle-joke. There is no--there is no definite answer to this question. It has to be trivia and not bullshit, sorry kids!”

Barry gasps because Hodge Podge said a swear.

Taako doesn’t _care._

“How do I _get rid of you,_ ” he sneers at it.

“I am powered by Maureen’s laboratory and its core power unit. Only by shutting down the core power unit will I cease to function. This has been a very exciting episode of Stump Hodge Podge.”

Well, he doesn’t know what that means. He goes to kick it, but Magnus stops him.

“I’m so _bored,_ ” the robot complains.

“This is _stupid_ and I’m _mad_ now,” Taako hisses right back.

“This is not an especially fair game, now that I think about it,” notes Hodge Podge. “Because, if you know a thing, it exists in the world, and I will of course also know it.”

Magnus is narrowing his eyes, too. “What’s my fish’s _full name?_ ”

“Stephen Q. Fletcher Esquire.”

He gasps. “I think that’s right!”

“Of course it is,” the robot answers, sounding bored.

“How many fingers--” Merle begins, almost shouting, as he holds four fingers behind his back. Taako counts and it’s a number he can count to. Angus would be proud of that, he thinks miserably, missing everyone terribly. “How many fingers do I have behind my back, huh?”

“I’m going to say: four,” the robot decides.

Merle’s smile falls as soon as it happens across his face. “He was _right!_ ”

Everyone gasps again.

Magnus is going and tugging on Hodge Podge now, but it looks like it’s stuck. “Why don’t you come with us?”

“Yeah,” Merle insists, “come with us _instead._ ”

Taako thinks this is a terrible idea, so it’s a good thing Hodge Podge can’t do it, actually. He just wants this entire thing to be _over and done with,_ and as they ask the robot about cake or pie (it’s pie, _obviously--_ pie is best), Merle gasps and mentions talking to Pan, yammering on to nothing that Taako can hear or see in the background, and he hides under his hat again. Magnus seems to be having a terrific time trying to play along with Merle, but in the end, Carey and Killian decide to start attacking it, and then--

\--then, Taako tells them to cut it out. Leans down.

“Hey, I have a question,” he tells Hodge Podge carefully.

“Okay, but I have to warn you,” the robot says, “my patience is wearing pretty thin.”

Killian rolls her eyes. “Can we just go back to hitting it? I think that was working.”

Carey pipes up, eager. “Yeah, that really--”

“Shhshhshh,” Taako hisses. “I’m trying to ask Hodge Podge a question!”

Wisely, everyone sees the look on his face and the way his ears are pulled back in anger and seems to give up right then, backing up and giving him and the robot some space.

“Where’d I get my umbrella from?”

Everything about Hodge Podge stops working. He starts repeating over and over that he doesn’t understand, getting more and more like the static Taako’s used to hearing. Magnus steps protectively in front of everybody and then they all step back as Hodge Podge starts _shakin’_ something awful and lights come on all around and then everyone falls to the floor and Taako covers his ears as a _burst_ of flame happens and Hodge Podge _explodes,_ and he--and he feels like the black glass, and he feels like all alone without a family, and he starts _screaming_ and _crying_ and static is pouring out of his mouth. Everyone starts to get up and dust off but he’s stuck there, curled up and afraid. This is just the worst.

“Is he… ...okay?” Carey asks, peering down at the elf.

“Is _everyone?_ ” Killian asks next, trying to figure it out.

No one seems to be hurt, but it doesn’t matter. The glass walls come up, but not even _that_ matters. Miss Lucretia comes rushing in and it’s all distant to him, not even relevant as she tries to make sure everyone is okay and unharmed and Barry tells her the specifics. Nothing really registers to Taako until Angus scoops him up in his arms, holding him so close, and that at least gets him to calm down enough to start _breathing,_ if a little too fast.

“Angus--” He manages, tears pouring down his cheeks. “I--I just wanted your help ‘n’ I knew it was bad, I knew I shouldn’t ask. And then it kep’ me from talkin’ to you ‘n’ I thought I’d never see you again ‘n’ I was jus’ tryin’ to do the game and it all went fire some more ‘n’ I was so _scared_ ‘n’ I just wanted you the whole time ‘n’ I’m _sorry,_ I’m so _sorry…_ ”

“I know, buddy,” Angus reassures him, holding him close and rocking him a little. “I know. _I’m_ sorry. I should have made sure it was safe. I’m just so glad you’re all okay.”

“He blowed up real good,” Merle tells everyone, “so he can’t hurt us anymore, don’t worry.”

“We got it.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Angus sighs, still holding Taako close. “You know I love you, don’t you, Taako?” He’s whispering real close and reassuring into his ear. “You know that, and you know I would _never_ put you in danger on purpose. I’m so, so sorry.”

Merle groans a little at this display. Magnus is laughing at… ...something? Taako doesn’t care, gripping tight to Angus as he can.

“What _happened?_ ” Miss Miller asks, rushing over to everyone. “Is everyone okay? No one got hurt, did they?”

“It doesn’t _seem_ like it, no,” says Miss Lucretia, but her voice is serious. “But this is… ...well, to be frank, this is some serious shit, Miss Miller. Not only can we _not_ endorse your robot, but we might need to… ...like, go now. I’m not sure there won’t be a lot of parental concern after this, not to _mention_ legal hot water. Um--”

“Hey, Mom,” Barry tries.

“What, Barry.” She’s profoundly distracted.

“You said a bad word.”

“I know, Barry. I’m sorry. This is a stressful time for Mommy.” Miss Lucretia massages her temples. “All right, then, everybody to the elevators.”

Taako _trembles_ with fear, still gripping onto Angus and barely even paying any mind to June and her concerned questions or really anyone outside the detective anymore. He just clings to the familiar fabric of Angus’s shirt and his heartbeat as Magnus--naturally--runs ahead with Carey and Killian. After a second, the little elf addresses Miss Miller. “Sorry we killed your robot son.”

She looks completely caught off-guard and confused. “Oh, that’s not really what he was. He was--y’know--a product--”

“Hey yeah, wait,” Magnus seems to realize, slowing his pace to keep up with this conversation as they walk, “d’you need some time to be sad? It’s okay to be sad.”

“ _Wasn’t_ he? Yeah, _wasn’t_ he your robot son?” Merle asks at the same time.

Miss Miller fiddles with her glasses. “No--w--”

“Was he your robot wife?”

“He was--no, he was just like a little--he was a commercial product. Hey, are you guys--”

“ _Suuuure,_ ” Magnus says, “sure he was.”

“Can I ask a question? Are you guys just mean to everybody?”

“Yeah,” Magnus answers without missing a beat.

Merle giggles and imitates Miss Miller best he can. “Uh, yes, we are!” He does a robot voice after that, still grinning and giggling. “We--are--mean--to--everyone--”

This cheers Taako up enough to wipe some of his tears and laugh. “I built a robot son to love me! Beep boop!”

“Okay, that’s good, that’s fun,” Miss Miller responds, “it’s not _my_ problem.”

“That was a _sucky_ son,” Merle keeps going, riled up. “Your son _suuuuucked._ ”

“All right,” Miss Miller stammers, “are--are you making fun of my voice? ‘cuz I’ve got sinus problems that--there’s a _reason_ for--”

Magnus mocks her. “I’ve got sinus problems--”

“Children,” Miss Lucretia tries, rubbing her temples. She looks awfully tired. “It’s not nice to be mean. Please don’t make fun of Miss Miller for her voice, or her poorly designed robot.” Miss Miller stares at her, looking embarrassed. “I can’t exactly fault them for this one, miss. It _did_ explode.”

“Tough but fair,” Miss Miller murmurs.

After all this, Taako is feeling okay enough to be put down by Angus, no longer so nervous. He starts walking along with Merle and Magnus, eager to get out of this place, and nothing can distract him--except somehow the three of them get lost again, away from everybody, and find themselves in a big room with a pillar in the center. All three of them approach it somewhat warily, because there’s _movement_ \--something is _moving_ behind the pillar, and they hear a voice say, “Hello?”

Magnus approaches it and answers softly. “Hello…”

Another robot floats out from behind the pillar, and at first it makes Taako _nervous,_ but--but it looks different. Smaller, kinda blockier, with all kinds of different parts and arms. It’s floating off the ground, making a nice little humming noise, and there’s a circle in the middle. It looks kinda… ...for some reason, it seems sort of like--

“A robot I can _hug,_ ” Magnus exclaims in wonder, looking excited.

“Um, you can, sure,” says this robot in a voice like a tiny June. Taako likes her already. “Do you need help?”

“Hail and well met, mechanical man!” Magnus greets her, grinning from ear to ear. You can just _tell_ he’s ready for a hug. Merle laughs at that so much he _wheezes,_ and Taako feels much better about this whole situation than the last one.

“I’m a--” Taako notices the circle in the middle glows when she talks, which is _neat._ “I’m a… ...well, I’m a robot, but programmed as--”

“A _robit,_ huh?” Magnus says it wrong on purpose. Taako knows by now.

“Okay,” the robot says uncertainly. “My name is Noelle…”

“It doesn’t have an ‘L’ in it?” Magnus asks, proud of his joke.

“Sorry? ...Oh, gosh.”

“What?”

“Oh, boy. That’s a real _stinker,_ I gotta tell ya.” Magnus laughs. “Can I help you guys out? Are you lost?”

Taako sighs in exasperation. “We’re _always_ lost, Noelle. All the time.” He’s had a long day.

“I’m sorry--”

“I was _sp’osed_ to go _home,_ ” he rambles, confiding in her. “‘cuz Miss Miller’s stupid buddybot Hodge Podge blowed up.”

“Blowed up _real good,_ ” interjects Merle.

“Yeah! But now? We’re _lost_ again, and I? Am _always, always_ lost, ‘n’...” He ends on a sort of vulnerable note, lip wobbling. “...’n’ that’s just how it is.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, though,” Magnus lets her know as he pats Taako on the back, “um--”

“It’s real nice to meet you too,” she says, and at least she sounds friendly. “Hey, what are the three of y’all doin’ here?”

That at least sounds like June. It makes Taako smile a little, as fed up as he is.

“Well, we--we need to see Miss Miller, our class is with her,” Magnus tries. “Can you show us the way to… ...um, her?”

“Well, yeah, sure!” Noelle seems very nice.

They follow her obediently to a place with two other hatches, and one of them has a sign over it that Taako can’t read, and he knows Magnus can’t read either. He gets anxious that maybe this isn’t the right way.

“Noelle?” Magnus speaks up on behalf of the group. “Can you tell us what’s with them other doors before you go?”

“Well, those are--I mean, that’s where--that’s Maureen’s private quarters, which means ‘room.’ You can read, right?”

“ _I_ can,” Merle lets her know, looking very proud. “ _They_ can’t, and Magnus’ll _lie_ to you about it.”

“Pfft. No, yeah, cool, cool, cool--is she in there?”

“No, that’s just where she sleeps and, y’know, keeps all her fun stuff.”

“What kind of stuff? _Fun_ stuff?”

“Oh, I dunno, like her personal belongings? I don’t--”

“Like _toys?_ ” When Magnus asks _this,_ even Taako lights up. It’d be fun to play with _toys;_ he hasn’t done it in a little while, especially not _new_ ones.

“I don’t go in there, usually,” Noelle admits. “Um, that’s--”

“ _Could_ you though?” Magnus presses her.

“Um, I mean, I _could._ I guess I could open it up. I dunno if she would like that, though.”

Magnus imitates Miss Miller again, and it’s _hilarious._ “I’m Miss Miller, and I say let him go in the room!”

Everyone laughs except Noelle, who might not seem to get it _because_ she’s a robot. They can’t be sure. “I don’t think that was actually… ...I don’t think that was actually--”

“Noelle!” Magnus blurts out, onto another topic now. “Noelle, what’s with the--um--shut down door, there? The other one.”

“Oh! Um, nobody uses that one anymore. It’s empty, we just don’t use it anymore.”

“Well, Noelle, might I say,” Magnus says, the fanciest Taako has ever heard him talk, “you have, uh, beautiful arms.”

“Oh! Well, thanks. It’s more of--”

Right then, Taako thinks it’s _his_ turn to play pretend. _His_ pretend might actually get them into the room. “Hey, what’s going on here,” he says in his best Miss Miller voice, high and nasally. He giggles, and it’s _ridiculous_ pretend.

Noelle appreciates it, though. “Oh, my! Oh, Maureen! How did you--”

“Yeah!!” Taako giggles.

Noelle giggles _too,_ in a way that sounds like a girl from his class, and it’s different for a robot. “Oh, Maureen! How’d you get all the way over here? I thought you were showin’ everybody ‘round the--”

“Yeah,” Taako imitates _very_ seriously, “these guys are special. Can you pop open the, uh, I lost my hands, can you pop open the, uh--”

Noelle giggles again. “You lost your _hands?_ ”

“Can you open my room for me?” He’s trying not to break character now.

“Yeah?” Noelle complies, just beside herself. “I mean, that was kinda a lotta weird stuff you said!”

“It _was_ weird. But you’re a robot, so you… ...you don’t get it.”

“Yeah, okay,” Noelle allows, but she laughs less at this. Huh.

But she does float over and do something with some dish-looking thing to turn _something_ on the door green, so that gets the job done.

“Well, uh, here you go! I think there’s stuff with crystals goin’ on in this museum, guys. We might wanna get the heck out of here soon.”

“Yeah,” Taako agrees. He nearly forgot how badly he wanted _out_ of this place and to stop getting _lost,_ but now he’s starting to remember, and they can’t waste time talking with robots forever. “Hey, can you--can you guys go look at it? I’m… ...keepin’ lookout.”

“And I don’t feel so good,” Merle lets everyone know out of nowhere, so that’s great.

“Definitely!” Magnus is enthusiastic as always, though, and rushes in.

Taako waits for him anxiously, while Merle tries to soothe him, but he keeps fiddling with his hat and trying to pull it down over his ears. It’s not until Magnus starts making his way back out that--that something happens, and there’s that pink color again, and the light again, near the pillar in the center of the room. When it falls to the ground, _everything_ starts turning pink, stopping right where they all are, and over the loudspeakers, a voice is heard again.

“I looked beyond the cosmos,  
way past the places I should see,  
and for my vision, I lost most  
of my own home and family.  
_Lost to my Crystal Kingdom._ ”  
  
And the pillar in the center of the room begins to shake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE GETTIN' THRU THIS ARC, FOLKS. AND I LOVE IT. sorry it's been a little while. i hope this chapter makes up for it and is okay. <3;; even if it's just a LOT of talking and robots, ahaha. thanks for your support always.


	23. Chapter 14, pt. 4

It’s… ...not looking good in the room right now.

The white light’s moved into the pillar and started to groan, and though Taako would like to think he’s brave enough that it doesn’t bother him, it’s actually very scary. It’s frightening enough to all three boys that they start to try to get _out,_ which Noelle the nice robot _definitely_ thinks is a good idea, but then Magnus gets distracted. He starts wondering about the door that no one goes in and trying to force his way in, which Noelle does _not_ like at all, hovering anxiously.

“Hey, can you _not?_ We should get the hell out of here, c’mon! This is a, li--”

The central pillar _explodes_ then, sending bits of pink crystal all over the room. Everyone _yelps_ , but they freeze in midair and then start forming almost a perfect Merle all made out of pink, like they were trying to go for him. After that, they fall to the ground, and the light goes through another big circle, almost like a doorway to another place.

Noelle has a little dish on her head, pointing towards her, and she says, “Hey, I just wanted to let y’all know, I--I tried to see what that thing is, and it’s definitely undead? But sort of _not_ too, sort of… ...special. Um, like a god. D’you guys know what it is? I don’t really like it.”

“It’s really bothering me,” they hear Angus’s voice from a little ways off, and the rustling as he turns the pages of a book. “It’s so familiar, but I just can’t place it--”

This is the _only thing_ that matters to Taako, and he yells about it pretty much immediately. “ _Angus!!_ ”

“ _Taako,_ ” Angus gasps, and he and June are the ones to round the corner, followed by Miss Miller and everyone else. “When did _you_ scamper off again, huh?”

“I dunno,” he answers truthfully.

“He’s got a knack for that, Angus,” June says, and she doesn’t look happy about it.

“He sure does, June. A-anyway, Miss Miller, I really _do_ wanna help you out, but I think maybe I should come back without Taako. This has been really dangerous, to be honest, and I don’t want to get him into anymore--”

“ **_HUGBEARS!!_ ** ”

Everyone is startled by Magnus yelling at the top of his lungs, hopping up and down excitedly as he points off in the distance. Taako _starts_ and tries to duck under his hat for cover, but he calms down when Merle tugs on him and reassures him it’s okay. Off in the distance, wandering around and carrying many items from what must be a gift shop within this place, are several bugbears just like his friend Klaarg had been. Before they can agree whether or not to say hello, Magnus has _rushed_ over to greet all of them, so everyone has to follow.

“Hugbears!!” Even Merle can’t help but yell joyously.

“Now, wait a minute,” Miss Miller is trying to get this group under control. “I-I’m not sure it’s such a good idea to just _bother--_ ”

“HUG B-B-BEARS,” Magnus interrupts enthusiastically.

“It might be _dangerous_ to--”

“Hugbears!!” Merle yells again, riled up by Magnus.

Miss Maureen fiddles with her glasses again. “You’re just yelling ‘hugbears’ at me, and I--”

“Bug. HARES,” Magnus blurts out, still racing for them.

“...What?”

“What?” He echoes back, and Merle and Taako are trying not to laugh. “What did _you_ say?”

“I say we go to the hugbears,” Merle decides, gleefully following Magnus.

“They _do_ come here lots. They even help out sometimes! They’re good,” Noelle informs everyone helpfully.

As they get closer, though, Taako doesn’t know about this. He doesn’t see Klaarg anywhere, and that makes him kind of wary and shy, and he’s already been through so much today. So instead of following everyone over to the hugbears, he stops and goes and hides behind Angus, holding June’s hand.

“I think ‘m gonna stay here,” he murmurs, so embarrassed he pulls his hat down.

“That’s okay, Taako,” Angus reassures him.

“That’s right, baby. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want. I have Mister Mongoose right here, d’you want him?” When Taako nods hesitantly, June produces Mister Mongoose from the bag, and it’s such a welcome sight. The little elf has _missed_ his friend over the past few hours, and he hugs him silently and presses the little mongoose up against his chest, resting his chin on him a little.

“But Noelle said they’re good!” Magnus calls back.

“‘s fine,” Taako mumbles awkwardly. He’s still embarrassed. “Mister Mongoose ‘n’ me are good right here.”

One of the bugbears yells a little at being approached so suddenly, right in Merle’s face. He’s undeterred in the way that Taako might usually be, even managing to go “awww” right in the bugbear’s face, but the elf starts even from far away.

“Christy!” One of the bugbears yells. “Christy, Christy, Christy! Stop! These look like good people.”

“I don’t _care,_ ” yells the one named Christy. “I’m still just gonna--I’m still just gonna--I’m gonna start _bitin’!_ ”

“Hi, everybody!!” Magnus waves with enough enthusiasm for everybody, not at all put off. He looks so, so happy to see more hugbears.

“Who are you guys? Do we know you from somewhere?”

“Well, actually,” Magnus starts, grinning from ear to ear, “I’m Magnus, and I _love_ hugbears! Are you Klaarg’s family? From the bumper cars place?”

“We _love_ Klaarg,” Merle says.

“ _Love_ him!” Magnus agrees. “Um, there’s lots of scary stuff goin’ on in this place right now, though. I met hugbears, and I met a _hugbot!!_ You can really hug her; her name’s Noelle if you didn’t know before.” He turns to his robot friend, grinning. “Say hi, Noelle!”

“Hey, guys,” Noelle chirrups. “Christy, you don’t have to be worried about Merle! He’s good. They’re all really good, and nobody wants to hurt anybody.”

“‘n’ I’m not really with ‘nybody,” Taako tries sheepishly, still hiding his face. “It’s just My Angus Brings Me to Work Day.”

“Sorry,” Christy apologizes. “People aren’t always so nice to bugbears ‘n’ I thought--”

“It’s okay,” Magnus pats Christy. “They _should_ be, though. You guys are the best! But we’re sorry we walked into your Country Bear Jamboree. We’ll just keep movin’, right, guys?”

“No, it’s okay! We really should introduce ourselves, anyway, after how you helped our boy before. My name’s Aaron Styles. I help Maureen with her fashion and her haircuts and stuff sometime around here.”

“Got’cha,” says Magnus. He’s just so eager to _hug_ these _bears._

An older one says, “My name’s John Cook, and I actually do all the cookin’, and I guess all the Johnnin’.”

Magnus laughs a little. “Uh-huh!”

“Oh, my name’s Jamie Green,” says another one. “I tend to the plants ‘n’ stuff around here. I have a green thumb--that’s sorta the joke I do.”

“Ooohh,” Merle exclaims. Of course he’d find this interesting.

“And my name’s Christy Kilgore,” says Christy. “I’m sorta in charge of the maintenance around here. Right now we’re off, though, just enjoying a fun little museum day, um. I just kept my original bugbear name, Kilgore, but a lot of us have different ones now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Aaron affirms, “yeah, we have our original bugbear names--Klaarg always wants to go by his, the little rascal--but we kinda choose not to remember that part of our lives.”

“Wait--they know Daniel?” Christy asks, and Aaron nods.

“You’re his dad, huh,” Magnus figures out.

Aaron nods again.

“Well, Klaarg’s our buddy, I hugged him once when he got separated from you guys, ‘n’ he was all cryin’, ‘n’ he had a little wolf friend and I really liked it, and even Taako thinks he’s great, huh, Taako?” Magnus rambles a million miles an hour, just too excited.

“Yeah,” Taako mumbles, ears drooping still. “Klaarg’s fine.”

“That’s our Daniel,” says John with pride.

“So why are people so mean to you guys?” Magnus asks.

“Well--well, it was really this _specific_ person, this dwarf? See, ‘cuz we’re bugbears, even though we have other jobs here one of our main things is security, and he wanted to come through, and we offered to show him where you can get some _really_ good tea at the cafe, but he wanted to get by into an area he wasn’t allowed. So we had a disagreement--”

“What if Miss Miller said it was okay, though?” Magnus asks.

“Yeah, what if?” Carey asks with eagerness, wide-eyed. She’s never _seen_ the hugbears before, and she startles everyone by being sneaky. Killian laughs at it.

“Um… I guess that would be fine,” John admits. “She didn’t tell us that with this guy though, so uh.”

“He sounds like a _dick,_ ” Magnus remarks, which gets a stern look from Miss Lucretia.

“ _Yeah,_ he does,” Merle agrees wholeheartedly. “Mm _hmm._ ”

“Miss Miller,” Magnus says after a second, looking up at her. “Can you let these hugbears know _we’re_ okay?”

She fiddles with her glasses, looking so flustered by this entire day. “Oh, um, yeah, I guess, but I think your teacher would _really_ prefer it if you guys--like--”

“Okay. Can you tell us what’s going on? We’ve heard lots of crinkle-tinkles.”

Most all the kids giggle about this, except for Barry and Davenport.

“Oh, yeah,” Magnus says when he composes himself. “You said _tinkle,_ ahaha. But anyway, you guys should get movin’.”

“Yeah, there’s some stuff goin’ on,” Taako pipes up, poking his head out from behind Angus’s leg.

“You wanna come with us?”

“I guess we could, but like--”

“ _PINKY SWEAR YOU’RE GOOD!!_ ” Taako growls, and he almost can’t help himself.

Magnus cackles. “ _SWEAR TO ME!!_ ”

“Sorry, I dunno why I said that, it’s so _silly,_ ” Taako says in-between giggles. “You can join us, you just have to _PINKY SWEAR!!_ ”

Miss Miller raises an eyebrow. “Is… ...is he okay?”

“He’s fine,” Magnus answers.

“I’m fine,” Taako lets her know at the same time.

“You should just do that, though.” Magnus is hilarious, too. They’re both so funny.

“Well, hold on,” Noelle says, hovering all anxiously again, “it might be kinda dangerous ‘cuz of all the crystals.”

“That’s why they should come with us, Noelle,” Magnus tries to explain.

“Yeah, but there could be other parts of it--why don’t you guys just lock yourself in a safe room when we leave? We’ll come back ‘n’ get you when it’s safe!”

“Okay!”

“Uh, can we get y’all anything? Before we--before you go?”

“Yeah, can we get you a tea or something? I can give you a nice haircut, or--”

“Yeah, I can cook you up a nice meal. I can make y’all a--a ham steak?”

“You’ve all been _wonderful,_ ” Miss Lucretia finally interjects, just trying to get a hold on the situation. “Haven’t they, class? Klaarg--or Daniel’s family has been so lovely and so kind and so nice to us, but we have to go now, back onto the school bus. Is everyone listening?”

“I am, Mom,” Barry tries to make her feel better.

She sighs. “Thank you, Barry.”

“Yeah, y’all have been lovely,” Magnus repeats, “but we have _got_ to mosey.”

Taako scoffs. “What does _that_ mean?”

“It means we gotta go, but I’ll never forget--”

“I guess you don’t wanna know where the Bugbear Treasure is buried,” John jokes.

Magnus does _not_ pick up on the fact that this is a joke at all. “Wait, where’s the bugbear treasure??”

“Naw, I’m just kiddin’,” John says with a smile. “I’m just playin’.” He looks apologetically at Miss Lucretia, who does _not_ look happy to be delaying this trip home. “Sorry.”

“Wait, wait! I have another question. What’s that empty room for?”

Aaron looks uncomfortable. “Oh, yeah, well… ...that was Lucas’s room.”

“Who’s Lucas?”

“Lucas. Y’know, Maureen’s dad?”

“Got’cha.”

“Yeah he’s, um. He’s not with us anymore, unfortunately.”

Magnus blinks. “Where is he?”

Merle leans over and whispers to him. “I think he’s dead.”

“So… ...Lucas died?” Magnus is trying to grasp it.

“Yeah, um,” Miss Miller pipes up, looking _very_ uncomfortable now, “I--I’m not sure if we should be talking about that right now, honestly? Plus--plus I think your teacher would really prefer it if you guys--”

“Oh, yeah. We gotta keep _going!!_ C’mon, you guys! C’mon, Noelle!” Magnus rushes ahead, exactly where he’s not supposed to be going. Miss Lucretia sighs and tries to believe that at least _some_ of the group will obey her and start to head back home, but no one does except Barry and Davenport, all going after Magnus.

Taako still doesn’t know how he feels about any of it. It scares him and makes him sad that Miss Miller’s dad is gone, and so many things have happened, but he tries to take a deep breath and keep going. Angus eventually shrugs and follows with June, and it’s a good thing too because the next thing Taako knows it’s _cold_ and some of it’s _crystals_ and Taako’s burying himself a little into Angus to get warm--when he notices a dwarf made out of all crystal. It takes him a second to figure out what’s happening. He’s very confused.

It’s like Boyland, who greeted them before, but all pink.

“Salt friend?” He tries, warily.

It is not the salt friend. Boyland is not moving.

“June,” Angus says urgently to June, a serious and solemn look on his face. “Get the children out of here.”

Her face looks very serious as she nods. “C’mon, y’all. We--we really should be gettin’ back on that bus, okay?” She starts leading Taako away as he holds onto Magnus’s hand, who’s holding onto Merle’s hand.

“...What was wrong with him?”

“Why wasn’t he moving? Can I help him out?”

“I think he’s _dead,_ you guys.”

And this is horrible and _awful_ to Taako, and he backs up. “No, no, no, no, no,” he starts and then screams. “No, no, no, no, _no!!_ **_No!!_ ** No more, I hate this, I _hate_ it, I hate this, I _hate_ it, I hate this!!” Before anyone can do anything, he _runs._ He just _runs and runs and runs_ until he gets to some kind of cold door and sinks up against it, breathing so fast it’s almost like he’s not breathing at all, ready to cry again. He stays like that, just breathing weird until June finds him.

“There you are, baby,” she says, not touching him just yet. Being careful and gentle. “I’m so sorry, Taako. I’m so sorry. A little boy like you should _never_ have to see something like that.”

“Sometimes,” he breathes too hard to finish the sentence.

“Yes, that’s true. Sometimes they do, don’t they. And I’m so sorry when they do. Because you are such a wonderful little boy, Taako, and I always want you to be happy and safe.” He allows her to scoop him up into her arms, clinging like he normally would to Angus, just _sobbing_ at it all. “Shh… My baby. My sweet pea. Shh… ...shh…”

“Is he gonna be okay?” All of the kids are looking anxiously up at Taako in June’s arms.

“Of course he is, sweethearts. Taako’s just been through some… ...hard and scary things before, that’s all. Takes a minute to calm down.”

Magnus is looking especially thoughtful about this.

Taako doesn’t leave her arms, though. Sticks his finger in his mouth and gets so so _tired_ after all that crying and wailing he could nearly have a nap. And maybe he does, for just a second, as June rocks him gently back and forth like a mama would do… He can sort of vaguely hear Magnus wondering what’s behind the door he found. June tells them it’s probably locked.

“I can see it,” he says, dreamily.

His friends are all so eager, but he’s nearly asleep, eyes shut. “What do you see?”

“‘S empty,” he mumbles, just because that’s a funny joke. He smiles even with his thumb in his mouth.

Magnus and Merle both laugh. “Are you _sure?_ ” Magnus asks.

“ _Very_ empty,” he murmurs, still grinning.

“If he says it’s empty,” Merle says, “it’s empty.”

“And when I was sayin’,” Taako says and then pauses to yawn, “when I was sayin’... …’a flip,’ it was just because… ...my mom used to sing… ...a flip song at me.”

“I think he’s just sleep-talkin’ now,” whispers Merle. “This doesn’t make _any_ sense.”

Magnus keeps pressing, though, eager for playing pretend. “So it’s just empty? Just a frozen room?”

“Are those ice robots?” Taako sings a little, voice slurring with the need to sleep, and he’s still smiling so wide. “Oh, wow…”

“Wait, there’s _ice robots_ in there?” Now Magnus sounds _really_ excited.

“No, that’s part of the… ...song,” Taako says, and then laughs just a little, even though he’s tired. “But it’s empty.”

“I think I can hear them _fighting,_ though.”

“Like _clanging,_ ” Merle plays along.

“Fiiiiine,” Taako finally concedes. “It’s--it’s--”

“It’s me ‘n’ Killian!!” Carey eagerly interjects, hoppin’ up and down. “ _We’re_ fighting the robots together!”

“ _Yeah!!_ ” Killian agrees, frankly getting more excited than Taako has ever seen her before. “We’re takin’ those robots… ...um, _down._ ”

“ _Yeah, yeah!!_ ” Carey is just bouncing everywhere now.

But Magnus is already distracted, moving too fast for even June to keep up. “But what’s _that?_ ”

June sighs. Taako’s ears vaguely twitch and he cracks open one eye, but that’s about it. “Magnus, honey, I know you really wanna explore the museum s’more, but maybe we can come back another time, huh? When it’s safer for you kids.”

Magnus is stubborn. “Tell me what that sign says!” He points at a door.

“Anti-gravity simulation experience room.”

Magnus blinks. “I dunno what that means, but I wanna go _in there--_ ”

“I know you do, baby doll, I know, but--”

She can’t put Taako down, because Taako’s so close to dozing and drooling on her dress, so the Lady June sighs and rocks him some more as they follow Magnus into this room. It looks all neat and lit up. Almost like a sort of thing at Goldcliff? Like a game? But not quite.

“All right, Magnus, if you _really_ wanna do this, it says… ...it says to put these glasses on.” June points to some weird, blocky glasses, and Magnus eagerly tries them on.

“Whoa,” he gasps, “It’s everything I dreamed it would be!!”

Everyone laughs because he’s just some silly kid with big glasses on.

“I feel _aliiiive!_ For the _first timmmmmme!_ Noelle, look at me!”

“Yeah, you’re doin’ great,” says the hovering hugbot.

“I’m a angel!” He declares, just beside himself.

“Yeah!” She giggles. “You’re a beautiful angel ‘n’ you’re doin’ such a great job.”

“Are you proud of me?”

“I’m real proud of you! Hey, hey, Magnus! Do a stunt!”

“Oh, no you don’t,” June says as she scoops up Magnus before he can do anything. “I don’t want you gettin’ hurt.”

“Aww,” Magnus complains, “I was gonna do a stunt!”

“Aw, man,” Noelle sighs.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, um, Taako’s mom--”

Taako doesn’t even bother to correct Magnus. He doesn’t want to know why that is, not right now. He doesn’t have to think about it.

“--can I keep these glasses _forever?_ ”

“‘fraid not, darlin’. We gotta put ‘em back.”

“But _why?_ I _love_ them.”

June sighs. “Because those are Miss Miller’s, honey bunch.”

“So? So was the buddy bot from before, and he _blowed up!_ ”

“Well, that is sorta fair. But no. Those are for other people who wanna feel like flying, just like you. Now go put ‘em back or we’ll have to have a talk with your teacher, ‘kay? And I don’t wanna have to do that.”

She sets him down and he reluctantly places them on their holder, looking angry and then sad as he waves goodbye. “We could’ve fought _bears_ in there,” he says sadly.

Merle laughs. “ _What?_ ”

“Yeah, like, unkillable water _bears._ ”

“Why?”

“They’re really big. I dunno! It’s just what would’ve happened.”

“You are _so_ weird,” Taako says with disdain, relieved to have June’s warmth all to himself now. He snuggles up against her with his thumb in his mouth.

“We would’ve won _eventually,_ ” Magnus grumbles, as they make their way out of the room.

Carey has somehow found a plastic cup and is speaking into it when they come back out, giggling. “Merle, Taako, Magnus? Is that you guys? We’re still in that cold room. Can you help get us out?”

“Yeah!! I’ll chop at it with my axe.” Magnus is happy again, ready to play more pretend.

“Taako,” Carey asks of him, “Taako, do you have any fire magic?”

“Yeah, I do,” he mumbles. “You can set me down, June.”

So she does.

“Step back,” he commands and then begins to make whooshing fireball noises.

Suddenly they hear a voice behind them.

“Uh, Noelle? Check this shit out.”

It’s Merle. Something’s _weird_ about his tone, so they turn.

“Oh, my gosh. Guys, he’s… ...he’s crystalizin’! GUYS!!”

Everyone _gasps._ This is so scary and overwhelming that all Taako wants to do is pull his hat over his eyes and ears and not think about it. June says, “Oh, my god,” and is immediately thinking about what to do. “Merle, baby, sweetie… ...you’re gonna be okay, okay? You’re gonna be okay.”

It’s going all up his arm. Taako _knows_ by now that that… ...doesn’t mean salt friend. It doesn’t mean good at all.

“Why did Pan _lie_ to me,” he wails at June in tears. “Why did Pan _lie?_ ”

“It’s gonna be okay, sweetie. That’s why you touched the crystal, huh? You thought Pan would like it?”

“He _tol’_ me to do it ‘n’ I--’n’ I always gotta listen to Pan, Mom says… I--I--I want my mommy.”

“I know you do, baby. We… ...let’s go get Angus, okay? We’ll bring him back to look at you, okay, sweetie? It’s gonna be okay, promise.”

With that, it’s a _race_ back to Angus, and Taako feels much more alert and _scared_ now, and when he gets the news of what’s happened with Merle he and Miss Miller _race_ down to where Merle is.

“Hi, Merle, buddy,” Angus says in his gentlest voice. “Seems like you touched some crystal, huh?”

“Pan _said_ so, Angus,” Merle weeps. “I want… I want my _mommy,_ please.”

“I promise, I promise you’ll see her soon, bud. Thankfully, um, Miss Miller here has some robots that can help. They’re gonna put you on a nice bed and you’re going to go to sleep for awhile, okay? We can talk about the rest when you wake up, okay, buddy?”

Taako can tell from Angus’s voice that this is _bad._ He is _very_ worried and stressed out, but being nice for Merle. All the other kids wave at Merle and then follow the bed on wheels brought out for him that he’s put on, and they watch as he puts a mask on and goes to sleep.

“Fuck,” Angus is saying to June, “fuck, fuck, _fuck._ Mavis is gonna--”

“Don’t _worry_ about that right now, Angus. We have to do what’s best for Merle. Guess we can’t leave now ‘til he’s all better, can we?”

“I can’t believe all this is happening,” Miss Miller murmurs, looking frazzled, “at my _museum…_ We’re gonna get closed down for _sure._ ” She looks like she might cry.

“Listen, no one--no one needs to worry right now,” June says, and her voice is the calmest and surest Taako has ever heard it before. “We’re gettin’ it all taken care of. And frankly, yeah, Maureen, even though you sorta, uh, messed that one up? The crystal thing ain’t your fault. Whatever’s doin’ this? Ain’t your fault. And whatever technology you got in there? Is gonna save that little boy. So don’t you think any less of yourself, all right?”

She nods tearfully. Taako is so proud of June. She’s even making _him_ feel better.

They hear Merle wake up a short while later, and of course everyone rushes off to check up on him. His arm is gone? Which is… ...really weird and scary, and Magnus points it out first. “Merle, your missing arm is really cool.”

Merle smiles at them in a weird way they’ve never seen before, his eyes real far away. “‘nks, Magnus.”

“How’d you lose it?”

“God _lied_ to me,” he says, still smiling and dazed. “God _liiiiied to meeeeee._ You have th’ _prettiest_ eyes.”

“Thanks, I do. But what d’you mean?”

“I mean _Godddddd. Lieeeeed. Toooooo. Meeeeee._ ”

“See, Miss Miller?” Magnus turns. “It wasn’t your fault. It was his god’s!”

Magnus is beaming. Merle giggles. “An’ then some kid… ...who spoke diff’rent… ...threw a crys’al at me, an’ I grabbed it, an’ it _hurt._ Owchies.”

“Some kid who spoke different,” Magnus muses.

“No, I know, I heard all that. Um, okay, I… I… It’s that _being._ The one I hired Angus to help me with, the one’s that responsible for all this, that’s been attacking my museum. I don’t know what--I don’t know what the fuck this thing is--oh, sorry for the--for the um, language.” Miss Miller honestly looks like she’s going to burst into tears right there. “I just um--I’m so sorry you guys had to get mixed up in this. I’m so, so sorry.”

She gives Merle another shot after that. He falls asleep then.

Magnus looks up at her very seriously. “There’s just stuff where I don’t think you’re telling the truth.”

She sighs. “You’re right, I--”

“Like that mirror thingy--”

“You went in my _room?_ Right, okay. Not the um, biggest concern here right now. Listen, I.. ...you’re right, Magnus. You’re a very smart little boy, but right now, we need to take care of your friend. We have to get good help for him and good supplies. But if you want, I _will_ explain some stuff to you. You deserve that.”

Magnus’s eyes are wide as saucers. “Okay.”

June is irritated, though. “What he needs is to go _home._ It’s not _safe here_ for young children.”

“No, it… ...it _really_ isn’t." Angus is staring into Taako's eyes very seriously now. "I… ...Taako, I really regret bringing you along on this one, buddy. I’m so, so sorry. When we get your friend all fixed up… ...I’ll make this all right, okay? Don’t worry.”

Taako’s just quiet, thinking about everything. “You gotta help Miss Miller with this pink crystal monster thing.”

“Buddy--”

“You. _Gotta,_ Angus. You’re the smartest grownup I know. And you brought me to work day. To be a detective. To see you do it! An’--an’ I have. It’s _scary._ ‘n’ I wanna go home. But I won’t leave you, Angus. An’ you shouldn’t leave Miss Miller by herself, either. She doesn’t even have a papa anymore.”

Angus blinks. “...Okay, bud. But please be safe.”

“Okay, Angus.” He nuzzles against him, then they embrace, warm and soft.

And safe. Maybe it’ll be okay, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is goddamn ridiculous, sorry. but so is TAZ, so. LMAO WHO EVEN CARES!! GOD LIED TO BABY. ;A; ummmm i hope this was decent bye i hate it tbh but gotta keep the story movin. tomorrow marks a YEAR since i first posted this story, though. gosh has it ever changed my life in ways i never could've imagined. i'm so grateful to all of you. bye. <3


	24. Chapter 14, pt. 5

They sit and wait in the room with Merle’s bed for a long while, and while they’re doing that, Taako decides to look around, ears perked up with curiosity. There’s lots of different doctor stuff, and some kind of machine thing, and he wonders what it’s all for but doesn’t ask. Miss Miller’s given Merle a lot of different shots and medicines, but he mostly seems very sleepy, sometimes waking up to talk and sometimes taking naps. The elf tries not to stare at the place where the arm used to be, now with bandages with little flowers on them wrapped around. He’s maybe a little jealous that his dwarf friend gets to sleep. 

“So,” Magnus finally says, fidgeting impatiently. He can’t help himself. “So we’re not leavin’, right? So tell me stuff. You _said_ you would. You _promised._ ”

Miss Miller looks… ...really, really stressed out still. She’s very, very frazzled and she keeps trying to straighten her glasses and smooth her hair like it’s gonna help, but it hasn’t and it doesn’t. She doesn’t even want to _look_ at Magnus now, which is almost silly, because she’s the big tall grownup and he’s so small compared to her, but she looks… ...tired and sighs. “There…” She sighs again, pinching the bridge of her nose. “What don’t you know? Some--there was an accident, and somebody--”

“Um… ...lessee.” Magnus _really_ thinks about this, enough to even stop fidgeting and swinging his legs in a chair. It’s pretty impressive. “Well, the mirror thingy showed another place! I wanna know about that. There’s a voice that talks to us, and I wanna know about _that,_ too. Some kid with a diff’rent voice took Merle’s hand, ‘n’ _that’s_ prob’ly somethin’. Um, basically, I don’t really know what’s goin’ on, I guess.”

Angus smiles at Magnus so affectionately that if Taako weren’t so exhausted by this point, he might feel weird about it, but he doesn’t. “Very good job asking questions, Magnus,” the detective praises him, and the little boy all but lights up. “That’s _very_ important. You might just make a good detective!”

 “Thanks!” Magnus is just _beaming_ and so proud of himself, displaying all his missing teeth for the world to see. “I think so, too.”

“Pfft.” Taako scoffs. He’s snuggled into June right now.

Miss Miller fidgets a little like Magnus might, actually, as she lets out a little nervous laugh. “Yeah, but um, I guess before we get started, I actually had an idea about Merle’s arm?”

“Hmm?” Merle murmurs, sitting up just a little. He doesn’t look _nearly_ as smiley, though. Even kind of grumpy.“‘kay, but ‘m… …’m not _happy._ ”

Miss Miller smiles a little, in almost a sad way. “That’s… ...that’s totally okay, Merle. Um. I know some of the medicine’s making you really sleepy, but can you try to stay awake for me just a _little?_ ”

Merle pouts, eyes already almost nearly shut. “Mm _mgh._ ”

 Miss Miller reassures him. “Okay, Merle. You’re doing so _good!_ That’s so good. Um, can you guys… ...can Angus or June come over and support his head a little for me so he at least sits up?” As soon as she says the word, Angus is right there to do it. “O-Ordinarily, I _do_ have a way to--to medicate him for his pain and keep him lucid, but I don’t really think he needs to deal with that, um, right now.”

 “Holy shit,” Angus gasps. “That’s a _huge_ medical and scientific breakthrough, Maureen. Wow. Um, but no, you’re right. He deserves to spend a little time in dreamland after everything. Doing so good, though, little guy.”

Merle whines just a little.

Taako watches raptly as Miss Miller goes over and gets some kind of little metal part and a potted plant from off one of the desks, looking like she’s focusing in a lot right now. All the kids except Merle gasp at how it’s wriggling around, almost like it doesn’t want her to do it. Next, she puts it on some tiny glass where there’s a little bit of green (green! he remembered the color) and she sprays it with something. Now there’s just some kind of wood thing hanging from her belt, and she makes some kind of drink and walks back over to Merle, tipping the cup to his lips. 

“Merle, drink this, okay? I know that today’s been so hard and scary and, um, all that stuff. And you might not trust me, and that’s--that’s okay. But I just need you to drink this down for me.”

Merle sips it a little, then sputters. “Yucky… Noooo. ‘S so _yucky,_ no… I don’ want it. Too yucky.”

At that, Miss Miller sighs again. “I know, I know it--it uh, doesn’t exactly taste good, and I’m really sorry about that. But if you--if you just drink this down, you can take another nap, okay? And I know you’re sleepy.”

 Merle whines again, trying to turn his mouth away. “Nnnn _nuh._ I don’ even _want_ you. I… I wan’ my _mommy_ .” Now he sounds like he’s about to cry some more, which nobody wants to hear, including Taako. “You’re not my mommy ‘n I wan’ my _mommy…_ I wan’ my _mommyyyyyyy…_ ”

“Oh, I know… I know. But--but--um.” Miss Miller looks truly lost, looking at everyone else to figure out what to do or say.

“You know _what,_ sugarplum? We--we _just_ talked to your mommy,” June says, and Taako is confused and alarmed because that’s a lie, but he can understand why. It’s Magnus who almost blows the whole thing, looking confused and almost blurting out that no, they didn’t, before Taako cups a hand over his mouth.

“Hear’ from… ...Mommy…?”

“That’s exactly right, ‘n’ she said she’s gonna see you so soon and she loves you _so so much,_ but first you gotta take this medicine,” June continues, stammering just a little. “She--she knows, she knows it tastes so bad and yucky, but she told us, she said, ‘Merle better take that medicine!’ She said we have to get you to drink it.”

Merle looks _so_ unhappy about this, whimpering. “Mommy, _nooooo…_ ”

“Sorry, Merle,” Angus pipes up from behind him. “But that’s, um, _definitely_ what she told us. And you’re a good boy, so you want to obey Mommy, huh?”

There are tears rolling down Merle’s face now. “...yeah…” 

“So--so just one quick gulp, okay? Then it’s over.”

It takes a minute, but Merle finally drinks it down, and everyone claps for him and tells him he’s doing _such_ a good job. “You’re so _brave,_ Merle,” Angus praises him. “You’re doing so good, your mommy is so proud of you, you know that?”

 _But_ I’m _the bravest,_ Taako can’t help thinking. He doesn’t like it, but he decides to give Merle this one.

Merle is still hiccuping with sobs. “That was _so bad,_ it tastes so _bad…_ I didn’ wan’ to _drink_ it… I _hate_ it.”

“We know, sugar,” June soothes him. “We know, we know, but guess what? It’s over now. Yay! Good job, Merle. We’re all so proud of you.”

“That’s right,” Miss Miller confirms awkwardly, and Taako watches as the wood thing becomes an arm with ( _one--two--three--)_ _four_ fingers. “Okay, so biology’s not my strong suit, but this is definitely gonna work, I promise. This is a plant called soulwood, and it’s a psychically tuned plant that can resonate with certain people who resonate with them, and it can sort of change its biology based on the whims of other living creatures. And from what I understand, plants are kind of Merle’s whole thing, so I think it’s a good fit.”

“Hear that, Merle?” Angus’s voice sounds a little too cheerful, but Taako figures it’s only fair to try to make the dwarf feel better. “You’re getting a _plant arm._ How cool is that?”

“Plants’re… ...good,” he murmurs, already falling back asleep. “Did you know… ...did you know… ...they’re so…” He’s already conking out as Miss Miller somehow attaches the wood arm to where Merle’s lack of an arm used to be, drifting in and out of sleep with eyeblinks. He perks up just enough to watch through half-lidded eyes as it forms around him, then gives him a little thumbs up. “Ooohhh…”

“Aw,” Magnus frowns, peering over at it, “I wish _I_ had a wood arm.”

Taako and Killian, in particular, stare at him. “Why?”

“I ‘unno,” he shrugs. “It’s neat!”

“You’d wanna chop it with an axe,” Killian supplies dryly, rolling her eyes.

Carey giggles. “Okay, um. Yeah, that’s… ...kinda true, Magnus.”

It takes only a minute of thinking for Magnus to arrive at that same conclusion. “Yeah, I _guess._ ”

“Don’ take my arm,” Merle tells him, holding it defensively. “I _love_ it ‘n’ no one’s takin’ my arms…”

“No one is, baby doll,” June reassures him in such a soft and slow voice. “Don’t you worry. They’re here to stay now.”

“‘kay.” He sniffles.

“Yeah, Merle,” Magnus agrees, “I’m not gonna take your arm. Don’t worry. It’s all yours now, buddy! Um, hey Miss Miller, d’you know who the kid that sounded different was?”

“No, I swear,” she promises. “I have no possible idea what--”

Magnus narrows his eyes. “ _Pinky_ swear?”

“Yeah, Magnus.”

“Cross your heart ‘n’ hope to _die?_ ” Taako asks, poking his head up a little from behind Magnus and standing on his tiptoes.

“...Yeah, Taako.”

“Stick a needle in your--”

“I don’t know what Merle heard, kids,” Miss Miller finally sighs. “Sorry. But--but if Mister McDonald, um… ...will still do me the kindness of… ...of aiding in this investigation, I would be really grateful. I’m so sorry for everything, but I--well, I really do need help. This is a bigger problem than I even thought when I requested your services.” She stutters through the sentence like she’s incredibly nervous, not daring to look Angus in the eyes as her face flushes and she pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “And well, um, if--if it’s okay, I do have some pretty cool stuff to show you guys, for--for the sake of being completely honest.”

Angus sighs. “Well, Miss Miller, I’d be lying if I said I were--um, completely okay with how backwards stuff’s gotten today. I _really_ don’t want to be subjecting any of these kids to anymore dangerous things, and since I… ...kind of don’t know where their teacher went?” He looks like that’s just dawning on him, and looks confused by it, and then a little thoughtful. “Huh, weird. Hope she’s… ...okay. Um. Anyway, it’s--it’s up to June and me to make sure these kids get home as safely as possible, right? So you understand why I have to make sure you’re not going to show us anything that’s going to, well, blow up. Or anything like that.”

“Ohh, no,” Miss Miller murmurs, looking embarrassed. “Oh, no, it’s nothing like that. I promise. This is just a big ol’ telescope, essentially. ‘C-Cosmoscope’ is what I call it, a-actually.”

Angus looks at June, who looks back at him. Taako is suddenly _so aware_ of Miss Lucretia being gone, and for a reason he can’t explain, he gets a little panicked about his umbrella. But it’s still nestled in the bag where June got Mister Mongoose from, so he feels better pretty quick, and eventually, it’s decided that they’ll head down there.

“June, um,” Miss Miller finally speaks up before they go, wringing her hands. “Sorry to ask you this, but well--given that Merle’s so small, as a dwarf and just, uh, a kid? Those pain meds I gave him… ...they’re pretty strong. I don’t wanna leave him here by himself, so if you could maybe… ...carry him…? I think that might be best.”

“Oh,” June says with sudden realization. “No problem. On it. C’mere, sweetheart. That’s it... I got’cha.”

Merle whines just a little, but he’s easily placated by June doing what she usually does with Taako and rocking him just a little, humming and occasionally soothing him with little phrases. She lets him know that it’s all right for him to just rest as much as he needs to, and that he’s safe and everything’s okay, and that his mommy isn’t here right now but she loves him _just_ so much, and as Taako looks on he’s kind of relieved that Merle has someone as nice as June in this situation. It’s pretty important, he thinks.

“O-Okay,” Miss Miller says, looking at the whole group. “Are you guys ready to go?”

“Yeah!!” Magnus all but crows, followed by an enthusiastic Carey and a mildly interested Killian.

When Taako tries to speak up in affirmation, his throat hurts, and he’s kind of worried that not feeling good from before might be coming back. “Yeah… Let’s do it.”

Angus and June both look concerned. “Feelin’ okay there, little guy?”

He doesn’t know what to do in this situation except nod his head, hoping he’ll feel better. They can’t leave now. Thankfully, no one presses him, and the entire group keeps going until they go through the place where the salt friend broke a bunch of pieces of crystal off. Everyone now especially is _very_ careful not to touch any, having witnessed its effects on both Boyland _and_ Merle in such a short amount of time, and then they make their way into another room. It’s so dark that Taako feels a little nervous, clutching Mister Mongoose and reassuring him that it’s _okay,_ the dark isn’t so scary, but there’s a light in the middle of the room that’s cast on a sort of flat floating thing that’s facing the group. Miss Miller goes and gets a flashlight and starts fiddling with something.

“Spooky story time,” Magnus does a poor job of whispering to Carey with a grin. Her teeth glint in the darkness and her eyes glow as she grins back and they high-five. Everything except the thing the light’s on is grey to Taako now, though.

Miss Miller smiles. “ _This_ is the tale of the… ...um, old… ...sailor’s… ...mummy! No, um.”

They hear something being flipped like a switch, and then suddenly Taako can see something on the flat floating thing, that looks like the museum like from high up.

“Okay,” Miss Miller says after a moment, as everyone’s eyes go wide. All of the children gasp, except Merle, who’s made even sleepier by the darkness and is pretty much sound asleep against June’s shoulder. She keeps shifting and rocking him still. “Now, I know you asked a lot of stuff, Magnus. But I, um. I’m not sure how to explain this stuff to kids like you, so it… ...it might be a little much for you guys? I still think it’s… ...important, though, in some way. Still, if it gets to be too much or you have any questions, feel free to stop me, okay?”

“Wait, stop,” gasps Magnus, “you’re _blowing my mind._ ”

“Okay. Boy, this is gonna take a while, huh? Um, so… ...let’s take this slow. All my life, I’ve been obsessed with the concepts of taxonomy and hierarchy. Which, for those of you who don’t know those big words, that means for everything that exists, there’s always a bigger thing that… ...contains it. Makes it up. Um.”

This is already confusing. “There’s always someone cooler than you, right?” Magnus still tries.

“That’s actually really good, Magnus,” Miss Miller praises, and Magnus grins proudly. “Rude and hurtful, kind of, I won’t lie, but--but really good! So there’s always a bigger thing that has a bigger thing… ...um, for it, y’see? Over and over.”

Magnus mutters something about turtles under his breath, trying his best to understand but already getting bored and fidgety.

“Uh, yeah,” the woman stammers. “So, so um, so this is the museum. Slash… ...more than museum. I don’t have to sit here and pretend this is _just_ a museum anymore, right? It’s my house, it’s my, um, lab. We get that now. So. We can go way deeper on like, the micro scale, to like, elementary particles and stuff like that. But I’m trying to keep this as simple as possible and, not that I’m doubting the intellect of any of the adults in the room, but--but I know you’re both in the business of detecting, not science. Sorry, I’m… ...rambling again. Always rambling.” She brushes some hair out of her face. “So yeah, let’s… ...let’s just start here. This is my lab.”

“Got it,” says Angus, though he looks _fascinated,_ trying to see in the dark enough to scribble some things down with a pen.

Miss Miller holds up two fingers and pinches them together, and suddenly it’s all different, showing a bunch of water under the museum. The kids’ interests are captured again, and yet again everyone gasps and “oohs” and “aahs.” “Okay, so here it is floating over the Stillwater Sea--”

She does the same thing with her fingers. “And here’s that sea in relation to the neighboring landmasses,” Taako doesn’t know what she’s talking about, but the picture keeps changing, which is interesting enough that he tilts his head, ears twitching. “And here’s the--the whole continent of Faûrun. And here’s our whole world, Abeir-Toril.”

Magnus is in complete awe, mouth agape. “How’d you do that?”

“Just bear with me.”

“Okay! I love bears.”

“Uh… ...good,” Miss Miller manages. “You’re gonna go _way_ further, though.”

“What?”

“Here’s our solar system…”

“Huh??”

“Here’s the local interstellar cloud…”

“What?!”

“...the local bubble, the local arm, the galaxy…”

And there are just so many stars, and it’s so pretty. None of them have ever seen anything like this before. Judging from the looks on their faces, neither have Angus and June, which is really interesting to Taako. Usually they know everything. Everyone keeps making noises of delight and awe now, with the exception of Merle.

“And here’s the local group--”

“I saw that one,” Magnus interrupts.

“Oh.” Miss Miller laughs, which is something she hasn’t done much. “Okay, but here’s the local group, the local cluster, the local supercluster, and so on and so forth until… ...here!”

Magnus gasps again. “It’s all just a collar on a cat!”

“Uh, it’s--” Miss Miller laughs again. “Yeah, this is… ...the universe we can see. This is every--everything we know, everything--every place we’ve ever been, every person we’ve ever met, every--uh, every place _anyone’s_ ever been, is um, is right _here._ ” As she stops again to clear her throat and adjust her glasses, Angus is swearing audibly in awe, and June is saying something like “incredible.” “But--but more importantly, so are the immutable--um, not able to change--rules that govern the people, places, and things in the universe. Are--are in charge of. Um, those things, right? Gravity, thermodynamics, arcane interactions. You--you guys don’t have to understand what this means, I promise.”

“ _Good,_ ” Magnus sighs in relief. “My head hurts. It’s pretty, but I’m bored.”

“I know. Just know that, um, all that stuff? Makes up our universe. You--you guys are just a handful of people--that’s a really small amount of people--to have ever seen the universe like this before, so. Pretty cool, right?”

“I’ve--I’ve never even fathomed anything like it,” admits Angus, still scribbling. “This is--Maureen, what the heck are you doing just running a _museum?_ Why--why do you keep this stuff secret? This is--this is _amazing._ ”

“It’s--it’s beyond belief, Maureen,” June admits. “I--I can’t understand how you’ve done something like this at all.”

“It’s… ...it’s neat,” Taako answers carefully. His voice still hurts.

“Yeah,” Magnus says, “but do you have any coloring books?”

Miss Miller blinks, as though she wasn’t expecting this at all. “Um, no, and it’s also really dark in here, what--”

“I’m _boreddddd,_ ” Magnus whines.

“Magnus,” Carey blurts out, “ _thumb war!!_ Winner goes against Killian!!”

“Okay!”

“Okay,” Miss Miller sighs, relieved that situation’s solved itself.

“So, wait,” Angus asks, looking deep in thought as he taps his pen against paper. “If this is… ...the observable universe, everything we’ve ever been able to fathom… ...and you believe that everything big has something even bigger containing it… ...what if there’s… ...more? If… ...if I stepped outside of _this_ universe. What would I see?”

“Angus,” Miss Miller says, very seriously, “can I say something?”

“Yeah,” he says, “what’s up?”

“You’ve just made me very, _very_ happy.”

She walks to the back of the room, then there’s the flipping switch sound again. The whole room lights up now, and now Taako can see that the flat floaty thing is dark blueish-green with silver around it. Soon it becomes obvious that the room is _filled_ with flat floaty things, and they’re all different colors and surrounding the one in the middle. Reds, oranges, greens, blues, whites -- Taako can think of and name all the colors as he spots them, but more than that, there’s different impossible things inside each one. The red one looks like a world of fire, and Taako _flinches_ at that and tugs his hat down until he focuses on the blue one, which is a whole lot of water, and worlds with lots of floating lights in the sky, and worlds where it looks like water but it’s different, like magic somehow, on the sand. Taako doesn’t even know where to _look,_ eyes taking in too much information.

“Where’s the one,” asks Magnus, “where everyone’s got a _mustache?_ ”

“‘ve alrea’y _got_ a beard,” Merle mumbles, still asleep, snuggling into June and yawning. “‘n’ my mommy says it’s pretty…”

“It’s _very_ pretty, dumplin’,” June allows, voice soft as she holds him close.

All of the kids who are awake giggle at the thought, though.

“Well, no,” Miss Miller laughs with everyone, “that’s not one of them. But to answer your question, Angus, _this_ is what’s bigger. _This_ is our planar system. This--this--this disk that you see, that represents the observable universe, this is actually our plane. This is the prime material plane. We’re smack dab in the middle of the planar universe. And each of these are different planes of existence, and they, and they each produce unique energies and they share these energies. They inform the material and physical makeup of, of, of each other. Some connections--they each have connections, some more tenuous than others. But these make up the real existence, uh, each having its own sort of energy and rules. This, _this_ is what’s bigger than the universe.”

Magnus blinks, clearly not understanding but wanting to ask more questions, fidgeting again. “Okay. So then, so then--what’s bigger than _that?_ ”

“Good question,” Killian whispers, though she looks like she understands about the same.

“Thank you.”

“Well, let’s start with this: there are six building block planes, right?” She points to some of the flat floaty things. “So you’ve got your elemental planes: fire, air, water, earth. And then you got the planes of light and shadow.”

“Heart?” Magnus asks.

“No.” His face falls. “Taako, you’re--you’re uh, wearing a wizard hat, right?”

At this, Taako immediately snaps to attention, adjusting his hat proudly. “Yeah, ‘cuz I’m a wizard.” His voice still cracks.

“That’s what I thought,” Miss Miller says with a big smile on her face, and Taako decides she’s not _so_ bad, maybe. “Well, see, if you wanna be a wizard, this is what wizards learn. Sometimes they even _go_ to these planes.”

“Whoa.” Now he’s really in awe.

“I bet you could have a secret room on one of ‘em,” Magnus says. Now Taako _knows_ he has to be a wizard.

“If you look,” and Miss Miller points to a round flat thing under the one they were looking at before, “the one where those kinds of spells come from, where wizards go for stuff like that? Like when they cast Blink ‘n’ stuff. That’s the ethereal plane, and it’s kinda like a filter. It’s like where the raw energies of the rest of the planes are kinda filtered into the prime material plane so it’s not like, everything’s on fire and drowning all the time. So yeah, anyway, that’s the seventh--”

“I can _count_ to seven,” Taako blurts excitedly, even as his voice hurts.

“Me, too!!” Magnus chirrups, giving him a high-five.

“That’s really good, you guys,” Miss Miller says genuinely and proudly. “Good job focusing so far. So uh, yeah, then we got the planes that sort of inform the energy of life itself, like the plane of magic where magic energy is born. And then on the opposite end of that, you see there’s the plane of thought which is the source of logic and reason and emotion.”

“So… ...the boring one,” Magnus guesses while arm wrestling with Carey. “Oh, wait.” He actually looks into it, stopping the arm-wrestling entirely with his eyes wide. It’s a green mirror, and there’s a large grey road with a bunch of sort of wagon things on it. “Metal dragons!”

“Yeah! This is where all the creativity and energy comes from, the creation. It’s like where the home of logical thought is. That’s why I call it the plane of thought. Then there’s the other higher planes, there’s the celestial plane, which is inhabited by the beings that I guess some would call deities. And then the prime material plane, the ethereal plane, you already know about those. And then the astral plane, which is where our unconscious forms--our souls--go when we die here in the prime material plane.”

Angus speaks up after a minute. His paper is _covered_ in scribbles, all words that Taako can’t read or understand, and he adjusts his own glasses. “So, wait a minute… ...that makes twelve planes, but there are only eleven in the room.”

June is smiling at him an awful lot when he’s excited.

“The astral plane--yeah, so anyway,” Miss Miller rambles on, getting just as excited, “let me explain. Crystals, certain types of gemstones, if grown into a perfect circle--they can’t be cut! If you cut it, it doesn’t work. They have to be naturally grown in a perfect circle--resonate with the different planes of existence. With the twelve planes that form our planar system, right? So anyway, my great-grandfather found a crystal, just like that. And using that, we may have gained a little inspiration for our inventions here in the prime material plane. Kind of cheating, if you wanna call it that.”

Magnus gasps some more. “Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!!”

“I _like_ pun’kins,” Merle murmurs, yawning some more.

“That’s ‘cuz you _are_ one, pun’kin,” June teases back.

“Nooooo,” Merle protests weakly.

“Isn’t that kinda… ...uh, ethically dubious?”

“I already called it cheating, Angus,” Miss Miller says without thinking. “I dunno what else you want me to say.”

“Um, right, sorry.”

“Oh, no,” she blushes, looking embarrassed. “ _I’m_ sorry. It’s just, my family… ...we’ve kinda led the Industrial Revolution in this world for generations now because of that mirror. And so because of that, my father, Lucas, started to sort of come up with the idea of how to create other mirrors into other worlds. But it’s really hard to do, y’know? Because you can’t, like I said, you can’t cut these gemstones to create these mirrors.”

“Well, I--I mean,” Angus allows, “if it were easy, everyone would do it, you know.”

“Exactly!” She looks almost mortified at her own outburst. “Uh, sorry. Exactly. Everyone would have their own extra-planar sort of telescope situation.”

Killian is looking frustrated. “I dunno what this has to do with _anything._ ‘m bored _again._ ”

Carey tackles her and tickles her in response. Magnus joins in. Taako doesn’t know how to feel about it, staying to the side and burying his nose into Mister Mongoose’s soft fur.

“So you were trying to grow a mirror for another plane,” June says.

“Yeah, um,” Miss Miller admits, embarrassed, “so I was wor--I--we--I was working and I used the stone to transmogrify, um, just pools of these waters into these different mirrors. It took me some experimenting, I uh, I had to figure out which gemstones corresponded to which planes. I made… ...so many, so many gemstones. And I, uh, yeah, the result is that I created these ones, unfortunately I was working--”

She flips a switch and the flat things move. Everyone “oohs” and “ahs” some more.

“I was trying to get their trajectories right, and I accidentally broke the astral mirror, so I gotta grow a new one of those although--although I kinda doubt you’re gonna let me keep playing around with that stone, so I might have to cut my losses there. This is what I was working on, though. This is what I was using the stone for, is to create the ‘Cosmoscope,’ which I could use to see the whole planar system, and, Angus, you asked a very important question which I wanna circle back to. Magnus too, kinda.”

And then everything… ...stops. Angus stops, June stops, Miss Miller stops, Carey and Killian stop, the flat floaty things (“disks?”) stop--it all stops, freezes in place. Merle’s eyes suddenly open as though he can’t help but look behind where Taako is, which gets Taako to turn, which gets Magnus to turn.

“Barry? What’re--” Taako trips over the words. “What’re you doing here without--without your mom?”

But Barry… ...is floating high, eyes blank and terrifying again, using that scary voice. It’s as if he doesn’t register Taako’s question at all. “ **WHAT’S BIGGER THAN THIS?** ”

“Uh--uh. I dunno what to do,” Magnus admits.

“Where’s _Miss Lucretia?_ She’d know how to fix him!”

“ **I SPOKE ABOUT THE HUNGER OF ALL LIVING THINGS.** ” He gestures out, out at the floaty flat disks. “ **THIS IS THE POWER IT SEEKS. THE POWER OF CREATION ITSELF. A BILLION BILLION LIVES HAVE BEEN DEVOURED BY THIS HUNGER IN PURSUIT OF ITS POWER.** ”

“Barry,” Taako tries, even though he’s trembling with fear and worry for his friend, “snap _out_ of it! I dunno why your mom left you--I dunno why you’re alone right now, and saying these scary scary things--I don’t know, Barry, but--but it’s okay! Please, don’t--”

When Barry waves a hand, something happens. A box tips over and some small flat disks fall out, smooth and different colors, but only one of them really stands out. It’s black like nighttime, but there are flecks of red and green and blue color in it, and it starts to shake. A big black cloud comes out, and it moves towards each of the other floaty disks and gobbles them up, and voices start _screaming_ from the different disks. Taako is _truly_ terrified now, pulling his hat down and trying to bury his face into Mister Mongoose, but something keeps him from doing it all the way. Something keeps him watching. And then Barry snaps his fingers, and the cloud goes away. All of it goes away.

Taako looks at his friend with wide, tearful, frightened eyes. He wants to beg him to slow down, to stop--he wants to find his teacher and get far, far away. He wants everyone to be okay and he wants to go so, so far away from this place and never, ever come back. But Barry’s still not _there_ like he’s supposed to be; he’s still so far away, floating.

“ **THERE IS NO MORE RUNNING, THERE IS NO ESCAPE. THIS WORLD IS LIFE’S LAST CHANCE.** ”

“Barry,” Magnus eventually manages, because Taako can’t find words anymore. “What’s--what’s _wrong?_ ”

“ **YOU THREE ARE THE ON--** ” And then Barry stops.

Taako thinks it might be over, but it isn’t. His blank gaze is trained on one thing: the umbrella.

“ **TAAKO, WHERE DID YOU GET THAT UMBRELLA?** ”

He is so, so, so scared. He doesn’t even know what he’s saying. “You’ve--you’ve seen it, Barry, remember? You--you like it, remember? You said Lup--you said Lup--you said Lup would like it too, r-remember…? Do you--”

“ **LUP,** ” Barry says.

It’s different than he’s ever said it before.

“ **YOU F--YOU F--YOU--WHAT DID--WHAT D--WHAT DID--** ” Barry is shaking, having trouble catching breaths. “ **_YOU FOUND HER?_ ** ”

And then, before they can do _anything--_

Barry is _gone._

The lights come back on. Miss Miller is continuing on like nothing ever happened. “What’s bigger than this?”

Taako is… ... _too_ overwhelmed now. He can’t--he can’t do anything just yet, burying his face into his furry stuffed animal friend and pulling his hat all the way down. His breathing is too weird; it’s too _much._ It’s all too much, and he just sits like that, not even crying. Not even doing anything but feel like too much all at once, everything is too much.

“Taako? Buddy?” Angus’s tone is even _worse._ He has no idea what just happened. “What’s--hang on, what’s wrong? Hey. Hey. Can you talk to me about it?”

He shakes his head, burying it even deeper in Mister Mongoose.

“Hey. That’s okay. I know, I know--this has been so much today. I know--”

“No, you _don’t,_ ” Magnus yells, which makes it even worse. “You _don’t_ know!!”

Angus turns to look at him, confused. “What? Magnus, what are you--”

“Well, that’s weird,” Noelle speaks up. “I had my scanner on before, from when I scanned that crystal monster. It’s uh, I’m picking up--it says--one of you’s not a lich, right?”

“No,” Magnus says, “but our _friend_ is somethin’ weird! And he was just in here, and he--”

“Did he knock over one of my rubbish bins?” Miss Miller asks, gesturing to the thing the flat disks came from.

“ _Yes!!_ ”

“Oh,” Angus says with realization, “Barry? But why would Barry be without his mom? _How_ would he be without his mom? Is he--is he okay? No, of course he isn’t. That was a stupid question. Do you guys know where he went?”

Taako silently shakes his head, going back to burying it. He catches just a glimpse of Magnus getting distracted by something on the floor, peering into it and asking Miss Miller if he can keep it, please. She says she’s not sure if a child like him should have something like that, but Angus says he’d like to hold onto it to maybe show Leon. Everyone is talking too much; everyone is too loud.

“Okay, so it kind of seems like,” Miss Miller concludes, “you guys should go see about your lich friend. How--how is a lich even--a little boy shouldn’t be--”

“I’m still trying to figure it out,” says Angus. “I’ll let you know. Um, yeah, we really should work on finding Barry, or Miss Lucretia with Davenport, or hopefully all of those people together. We… ...we really have to make sure everyone’s okay.”  He glances at Merle, who’s still kind of just staring into space. “As… ...as okay as they can be, anyway. But--but uh, one second. Wait. Fuck, Angus--this isn’t the time to _do_ this, but um, Maureen? The kids have been talking to me about this spirit. That inhabited golems, and sang to everyone about seeing beyond this plane, and their crystal kingdom? It really feels like this planar stuff _might_ be connected to that.”

“Was it--what songs? What are you talking about?” She looks confused.

“Oh, oh, I can help,” Magnus says, “it went, ‘Here in my crystal kingdom!’”

“Listen, for what it’s worth,” says Miss Miller, “I am so, so sorry.”

And suddenly--Angus drops to the floor, unable to move. June goes to help him, but _she’s_ buckled too, leaving Merle to just _barely_ escape her arms in time before he falls. Carey and Killian do too, confusingly enough. They don’t have time to figure out why--there’s just a _flash_ of purple, and all of them scream except Merle, who’s just barely stumbling around. Taako is surprised to find how quickly he _grabs_ Magnus’s hand to hurry out with him, and how he grabs Merle's hand to help him along.

"We'll come back for you," Magnus promises, looking tearfully at Carey in particular.

"Okay," Carey says, just as tearful.

And they run.  
  
“This is the _worst_ day,” Merle says, in tears, “of my _whole entire life._ ”

Everyone agrees with this, but they’re stopped by--

“Oh, no,” Magnus gasps, “the crinkle tinkles.”

No one laughs this time. They’re coming from the floor.

“ _Saved from the darkness by my kin,  
_ _locked in a jail of glass and steel,  
_ _but my success remains mortal sin,  
_ _beckoning me to break the seal_  
into this crystal kingdom.”

And then--Merle _gasps,_ looking terrified, _wailing_ and refusing to go any further. No one understands why at first until--until this skeleton forms out of the pink crystal from before, taller than any of them but still relatively small, and though Taako _knows_ not to be afraid of the salt friend, he still feels afraid at how it stands, and then it speaks in a kind of tiny voice Taako’s never heard before:

“ _Yes,_ ” it hisses in a little boy's voice, and an almost frightening grin envelops its face. “ **_Found ‘em!!_ ** ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i literally just sat and wrote this for like nine hours??? with little to no breaks in-between??? shit is starting to pop OFF, which i never thought i would say about this story tbh. LMAO. OR AM I LYING???? ;D I'M PROBABLY LYING. either way, this sure does feel like an appropriate update right before this thing's first birthday, huh. <3 i hope it's, like. decent, as always. um, i love you all so much. you've done so much for me, for my life, for my mental health in this past year. i can't even articulate it. thank you.
> 
> i never would've imagined this story would be so popular. it started out as a simple thought i had after waking up from a nap! and here i am, a year later, still in love with this thing, even moreso now that i've gotten to know its fanbase. i was so terrified to share my work with any of you. i gave myself an ultimatum to keep this story up for an hour before deleting it to see what happened, because i was so convinced it was awful and i couldn't write "the Adventure Zone." my self-confidence still isn't great, but this warm reception has meant the world to me. i've made new friends. discarded toxic ones. got out of an abusive relationship. all because of TAZ, and it all started right here.
> 
> with this.
> 
> thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, even a year later.
> 
> i love you all so much.


	25. Chapter 14, pt. 6

This moment would continue to be a lot more terrifying, except that the skeleton salt friend turns back at something they can’t see and says in a much quieter voice, “Mummy, I found ‘em! Um… ... _some_ of ‘em. I--I really did, it’s three of ‘em this time, ‘n’ none of the extra ones. ‘n’ I even remembered to do my fancy accent so’s I sound, um, seriouslike.”

They are no longer afraid of the skeleton at all _._

“Who… ...who are you talking to?” Taako is the first to ask, looking around and seeing no one else.

The salt friend _flinches_ and goes quiet. “...Um, nobody,” he says in a very timid voice. Then he looks back, _clearly_ trying to stand up tall. “I mean, n-not that it’s… ...um, any of your… ...um, business! _You’re_ in… ...um… ...vi… ...violation of… ...the… ...you need to come with me to the, um, the astral plane. ...Please. Wait, um, not please. Oh. Not please, I.” It pauses, looking very conflicted and honestly more nervous than any of them do. “It’s _not_ please! Come with me **_now! To the Eternal St--St--St--Stockings!!_ ** Wait…. ...um. It’s not… ...um, oh no.”

“Do you… ...need help?” Magnus asks.

“ _No,_ I don’t need _help,_ ” he growls. “I need--it’s--I--sometimes I’m nervous.”

“It’s okay, salt friend,” Taako reassures him. “Remember me? I’m--”

“You’re ‘Taako,’ yeah. I… I know that already.”

“‘cuz I told you!”

“No, ‘cuz I can _read,_ um… ...actually. I like to… I like to read. Um. B-But it doesn’t matter, you’re not my _friend!_ _You’re a criminal! Come with me now or_ ** _else._** ”

“Um… ...do you think maybe you’re thinking of other people?” Magnus asks carefully. “We--we’re the good guys always.”

“Um,” the salt friend stammers. It’s hard to explain how Taako can _tell_ even on a face made entirely out of pink salt that he looks unsure now, but he’s really starting to wonder if they’re the wrong people, and he starts to turn back to address someone invisible again. “No, no--wait… I… I can use the book like a big boy. Um…” And suddenly, there’s a book in his hands, bigger than his entire head, and the salt friend has to strain to even hold it. “Um… ...um, M… ...Merle? Is… ...is… ...is somebody Merle?”

He doesn’t wait for anyone to respond. “Oh, yeah. You’re tiny. Um, okay. So… ...it’s okay that you’re tiny! I--I--that’s okay, because--because you have to come with me!” And one of his pink salt arms turns into a _pokey_ salt arm, and he tries to lunge for Merle and _jab_ him, but he misses, nearly falling flat on his face. “Oh, oh no--oh.”

To everyone’s surprise, he hides his face.

“‘m just really nervous,” he mumbles. “Sorry, s--I’m not--I’m not sorry at _you,_ you’re naughty. B-But--oh, this is bad.”

For a salt skeleton, he looks pretty sad and embarrassed. Merle’s still really sleepy, and Magnus is basically holding him up, but he tries to reassure this new kid anyway. “‘S’okay. You’re tryin’...” He yawns. “...you’re tryin’ your best.”

“Hey, so,” Taako tries, approaching the skeleton slowly. “What’s--what’s your _name,_ anyway? You know mine ‘n’ Merle’s, I guess. Now we get to know yours, right? Also, if you--if you try to hurt my friend anymore, I’m gonna have to--to use some _magic_ at you, okay? So don’t do that.”

“My name’s Kravitz,” the salt friend, whose name is Kravitz, replies. Then glances anxiously back. “Oh, um. Never mind. I--I don’t think--I don’t think I was allowed to say that, sorry.”

Magnus blinks, then calls out. “Noelle, are you okay?”

“Wait,” Kravitz says. “Ohhhh, I know _that_ one too… That one’s in the book! Okay, so that’s--that’s four people, um. Do you know where she is? Because if she’s here, she’s coming, too. That _prob’ly_ means I gotta tell her about the Et--Eternal… ...Eternal Stock...ade… ...Stock… ...no, that was right. I gotta tell her too, anyway, yeah, please go get her, it’s important.”

“Yeah,” Noelle answers, floating out, “I’m fine, sorry, but I--oh, no, that… ...doesn’t look good.” She stops when she sees Kravitz, trying to float a little ways away.

“Oh, um, there--there--you are, so. I’m not gonna tell you my name ‘cuz I’m not sp’osed to ‘cuz, um, you don’t tell criminals that but anyways, you gotta come with me to the Et… ...it’s such big words. The, um…” The skeleton is almost _shaking_ now, looking wide-eyed at them all. “This is lots of kids. I’ve never been around this many before.”

“Take your time,” Noelle says patiently. “Uh.”

“The--the um--Eternal… ...Stock...ade… ...Stock… ...ade. Stockade. Eternal Stockade. Please. Not please. I’m not askin’. You--well, you need to come right now, okay?”

“Um,” Noelle says awkwardly, “sorry, but. No?”

“You… ...you can’t _do_ that? You can’t just say no! You gotta come.”

“Why?”

“ _Because_ you’re bad.”

“Why?”

“ _Because_ you--oh, you’re just gonna keep saying it, huh. Well, well, this is _really_ dumb,” Kravitz says, “an’--an’ I’m not doin’ it anymore. Come with me or I--I know how to _make_ you do it. My mummy showed me how.”

He just looks so… ...terrified of all of them, still? Even as he threatens these things and Taako knows he tried to jab Merle with his pokey arm, and probably took Merle’s real arm, he can’t help but feel kind of bad for him. He’s just shaking and staring and tripping over his words. So he tries to think of what might help. “Hey, Kravitz,” he says softly, “hey. You wanna hear somethin’ neat? I have--I have a unicorn named Garyl, he has two horns, he--”

“What? That’s not real. ...Is it?”

“Well, it’s imaginary. Like… ...pretend? Do you ever play pretend?”

“Um,” Kravitz stammers. “I--I dunno.” He’s still just trembling.

“Like… ...think about Garyl and he’s runnin’ past you!! And that makes it more fun, see? You don’t have to be scared.”

“I’m _not--_ this isn’t-- _augh._ ” He tries to go for Merle again. “Look, I’m really sorry, I know--I know--um, this--I know it’s--um, I’m sorry, but I _have_ to do this.” But he misses _again,_ and he looks confused. “I don’t know how I missed that time…? That wasn’t too bad that time.”

“Hey,” Magnus says suddenly, “hey! If you’re a salt friend, can I eat you?”

“What?” Kravitz backs up. “Um, no? I’m not even made of salt. I dunno--please don’t--listen, you guys stay here. I gotta… ...I gotta go see my mummy. You’re really weird ‘n’ I dunno what to do about it, but um--um, when I get back, you’re _gonna_ go to the Eternal Stockings. Stockings an’ lemonade together… ...make… ...Eternal… ...Stockade. So um, don’t go anywhere, hold on. I’ll be right back.”

“Why, though?” Magnus asks. “Why do you have to take us to--”

“You _know_ why,” the skeleton yells, looking frustrated.

“I really don’t, though.”

But it’s too late. The pink salt form falls apart, and the white light thing passes through another one of those circles to another place. Everyone is pretty much in agreement that Kravitz, whatever he is and _why_ ever he is, is not scary at all after that. Shortly after, Angus and June come running out of the room they got froze in with Carey and Killian, and Taako _runs_ into a hug with them.

“Angus!! June!! You’re _okay!_ ” He notices June has the bag, still, and Mister Mongoose is even back in there. “And so’s my umbrella! And Carey ‘n’ Killian too, wow...” He clears his throat, because it still hurts some, just staying in the hug. “Um, so, I hate this ‘n’ I wanna go home.”

“Yeah,” says Killian, “me, too.”

“Okay, okay. That’s fair. We really should work on getting out of here,” says Angus, and Taako feels so much relief. “But I… ...I--listen, bud. I don’t think it’s safe for someone like Maureen to have that crystal. Like, for the world. And part of being a detective is making sure people like that don’t get away with things. So I might have to stay here.”

“What?” Taako looks at him, tears in his eyes. “Angus, _no._ I don’t wanna go without you--”

“I know, buddy. I know you don’t, and I… ...I completely understand that, okay? But I’ll be okay, I promise. I think you should go with June and all your friends, and you should find Klaarg’s family and make sure they’re safe, and maybe work on seeing where the others are. And try to go home. It’s not safe for you here, Taako.”

“But it’s not safe for you _either,_ ” Taako croaks.

Angus leans down to his level and looks him in the eyes, and as always he’s so kind and serious. Taako can tell he means it, but it’s not quite enough, even when he says, “Little guy, I swear to you, everything is going to be just fine. Please go with everybody else, please? I never should’ve brought you here, and I’m--and I’m sorry that I did. But I’m gonna fix everything.”

With that, Angus is heading towards the direction he thinks Miss Miller went in, and June is gently convincing everyone to follow her and find the hugbears. She’s about to lift Merle up again into her arms, and Killian seems okay to follow her, but Taako takes a deep breath and grabs Merle’s hand before she can do it, tugging him along in the direction that Angus went and speeding faster than he ever has in his life, helping Merle when he trips over his own feet.

“Sorry, Merle,” he apologizes, “I know for you it’s naptime. ‘n’ I wish for me it was naptime, too. But I’m not--”

“What’re we _doin’?_ ” He asks, barely aware of his surroundings.

“Well, well--I’m--I’m _not_ letting Angus go ‘n’ I had to do somethin’ so June can’t take us away. So that’s what.”

It doesn’t take Magnus long to catch up with Carey and Noelle. Killian is nowhere to be found, so hopefully, that means she’s with June looking for the others and they have some time. Taako’s thinking so fast on his feet, and he feels like he’s done this before.

“Hey, so, what’s up? We’re not leavin’?” Noelle asks.

“I don’t feel too good about this,” Carey admits.

“Leave if you _want,_ ” Taako murmurs, trying to navigate and feeling distracted. “‘n’ if you’re gonna leave, take Merle ‘n’ catch up with June. But I ain’t leavin’. I’m not leaving my Angus.”

Magnus looks back where they came from, then at Taako. He looks surprisingly serious, which he almost never does, not like this. “Well, Taako, if you’re not leaving then we’re not leaving either. We’re gonna help you save your dad! Right, Carey?”

“Yeah!! I guess!!”

“Right, Noelle??”

“Yeah!!”

They don’t wait for Merle to respond, but Magnus _does_ take his regular arm and hold it, kind of supporting him a little as he lays his head on Magnus’s shoulder. It’s a good opportunity for him to prove that he’s strong, even if he has to grunt and help Merle along. “Okay, so where did Angus go?”

Taako’s looking. And then he sees Angus up ahead, and a bunch of ruined metal parts like from an elevator, and in its place--oh, oh no. A bright yellow car with a big red nose and two big white eyes. He feels _sick with fear,_ but the little elf knows now more than ever that he _has_ to follow Angus, adjusting his hat and taking a deep, deep breath before pressing onward as the doors open.

“Hey, kids,” says the scariest elevator in the entire world, “did somebody need to go down?”

“Well, you’re sure horrifying in action, huh,” Angus murmurs. “Wait a minute--kids?” It’s then that he notices all of the children standing around him and he starts. “Oh, jeez, kids! I told you, you gotta get out of here! And… ...and if you don’t,” he’s tripping over his own tongue now, “you have to ride this scary elevator. Taako, you don’t _want_ that. Go back.”

To Angus’s credit, this really almost works. He is so, so scared of elevators, and especially this one in particular, but Magnus rushes in like he always does, dragging Merle with him, and they’re followed easily by Carey and Noelle. “Hey, Mister Bucket or whatever your name is!” He chirrups casually.

“It’s me, Mister Upsy! Your lifting friend!” The elevator chirrups happily back. It weirds everyone out.

“Oh, yeah,” says Magnus, seemingly unfazed.

“I heard a rumor that you kids needed to go on a different floor than the one you’re on now!”

“Yeah,” Magnus confirms, “it’s true.”

“Well, anyone who wants to come should climb inside my tum-tum, silly goose! Is it just you guys????”

This is the hardest thing that Taako has ever done, especially when Magnus wonders why it’s so “wet” in there. Even Angus looks visibly distressed by this terrible, awful elevator, but even though he’s shaking with fear and his stomach is all sick with butterflies and it’s been such a long day and his throat still kind of hurts, Taako reaches up, adjusts his hat so it’s over his eyes, and says, “No. I’m gettin’ on.”

Angus is very surprised now, eyes wide. “Taako, hold on. You don’t have to do this.”

His face is serious and he barely reacts to the voice of his favorite person in the whole world as he strides into the elevator, head held high and hat snugly over his face. To get through this, he’s going to have to imagine Garyl is there to help. It’s gonna take a lot of pretend to make this one even remotely okay, so he’s busy working on that and imagining Magnus having a funny conversation with him when Angus sighs and gets on the elevator.

“Which way are we going, kids???” The elevator is still talking. Taako really tries to pretend it isn’t.

“D--down!!” Magnus stammers.

“Aw,” Upsy says, seemingly upset about this, “down’s my least favorite!”

“Taako,” Angus says as the doors close and they start descending after he’s pressed a sort of fleshy button and shuddered, “listen. I know I’m not the best dad around or anything, but I really messed this one up. And… ...and that’s… ...awful? This is my fault, but because of that, I don’t want you to get hurt. I couldn’t live with myself if you--if you got hurt, do you understand? If _any_ of you got hurt, I couldn’t--”

Taako looks at him the most serious he has in his entire life. “I’m not listening.” He cups his hands over his ears, and for some reason, he feels so mad at Angus. He can’t--he can’t explain why. Maybe it’s that Angus would feel okay getting hurt instead and leaving him all alone, or maybe it’s that he’s cranky because he hasn’t had his nap, or maybe it’s because it actually _is_ wet in here and he has never hated anything more probably ever. But maybe, just maybe, it’s because Angus is _wrong,_ especially about messing up and especially about not being the best, and he doesn’t even want to _hear_ it right now. “Lalalalala _la!!_ ”

It’s even worse that Angus looks a little hurt. “Taako, please, c’mon. I’m only trying to do what’s best for you.”

“What’s _best?_ ” He stares up at Angus, _glaring_ from under the hat as they go down. “You were just gonna leave me again! Leave me all alone without you, well, I won’t _let_ you!! You _are_ the best Angus because you’re _my Angus_ and I won’t let you **_go!!_ ** ”

Everyone looks really caught off-guard by how emotional these words are, with the exception of maybe Merle. Taako flusters and flushes under everyone’s gaze, adjusting his hat so it’s even _more_ over his eyes and turning away with a “ _hmph._ ”

“Taako,” Angus tries softly, “I’d never leave you--”

“Not everyone _wants_ to go, Angus,” Taako says just as quietly.

The adult has nothing to say, looking at him kind of sadly.

Upsy, who has been rambling this _entire time_ in the background, opens up his doors and makes a sound like someone getting sick when they leave. “That’s another joke I do! Anyway, bye, I love you!!”

They step out into a sort of darker, smaller room. There aren’t any crystals here, so that seems like a good sign, and there are two doors. One of them has a red rectangle next to it, and the other one has a green rectangle next to it.

“Okay,” Noelle says, “if Maureen’s gonna be anywhere she’s gonna be in that door with the red. If y’all wanna keep movin’--”

“What’s the big door?” Magnus asks, peering over at it.

“Oh,” Noelle stammers, “um, that--that one leads to the robotics place.”

“Let’s go in _that_ one, then,” Magnus responds with enthusiasm, all ready to rush in.

“O-Okay,” Noelle stammers some more, “I mean, it’s… ...um, pretty cool. It’s like… ...my nursery in there.”

Taako suddenly imagines Magnus asking Garyl what _he_ thinks because he’s still there. He hasn’t left since they had to go on scary, scary Upsy to get down here, and it’s good to have such a funny imaginary friend. He’s so cool, but in the end, Garyl doesn’t know. He’s busy going to that nice world where Garyl is real and not his imaginary friend and wishing he were there instead when Magnus helps him snap to the present.

“Uh, Taako? Are you okay? What do you think?”

It doesn’t matter. In the end, Angus thinks they need to go to where Maureen is _right now,_ even if Magnus wants to go to the robot room, but they can’t get in. So they wind up going into the robot room after all, and Magnus looks _elated,_ trying to tug at robot arms for some reason and giggling wildly. He _loves_ it in here. Taako’s not so sure about it; it’s messy, and there’s a lot of robots that aren’t working, and he doesn’t want to be here at all. He wants to be home in his bed. In Angus’s house, which… ...which is his home? Yeah, okay. For now. He’s still tired ‘n’ sick.

Merle whispers, sleepily, as everyone watches Noelle float over these robots and look at ‘em closely. “They’re her… ...her brothers ‘n’ sis’ers…”

“Noelle,” Magnus asks, “are you okay? You seem sad.”

“Yeah,” she says, “I’m--I’m okay, Magnus. It’s okay. Thanks.”

“No, wait, wait…” Merle murmurs, and then sounds a little more awake and serious. “Noelle…? Noelle? Lookit me, Noelle.” He’s looking at her so serious with wide eyes, so sincerely.

“Yeah? ‘m lookin’,” Noelle insists.

“You’re… ...you’re _better’n_ any o’these damn junky robots.” His eyes are still glassed over, still far away. He slurs his words some. But he means it, everyone can tell.

“Well,” Noelle says quietly, “well, I’m the only one floatin’, I guess. Yeah, all right.”

“Tha’s _right,_ ” Merle insists, nearly falling over before Angus grabs his hand. “So… ...so don’ be lookin’ at ‘em and gettin’ sad, ‘kay?”

“Okay, well--”

“You’re my… ...my _special angel_.”

“Well, um, thanks, Merle. That’s really nice.”

Satisfied, he pitches all the way forward, falling asleep. Angus sighs and scoops him right up, cursing under his breath, and Taako _knows_ he shouldn’t have brought Merle along. He feels bad, kind of, but he… ...he did what he had to do. He feels distressed, though, so as they go through another door he imagines that Magnus is going through on Garyl, and it makes him smile a little. It’s also very dark, which is scary, and everything goes shades of grey as he tries to keep in mind that the dark isn’t so bad.

There’s a wind his ears can pick up. He doesn’t like it.

He doesn’t like this day at all, but he keeps going for Angus.

Suddenly, there’s a light in front of them. It rushes past, and goes into one of the robots, and the robots… ...make such this _awful noise._ Suddenly Taako can’t… ...figure out? What’s going on this place. He doesn’t know… ...what’s happening? He doesn’t know… ...who’s around? He… ...he doesn’t know anything. But he feels… ...so angry about this, so angry about all of it, so much anger, he has to get it out, and he sees a tall person in front of him, and he wants the small person in their arms, and he tries to _tackle_ his legs to drag him down, so angry and _screaming._

“Taako,” says the person. “Taako, little guy, what are you--”

“Taako, I _know,_ ” says a bigger kid. “It got me too, but I… ...I shook it out of me. You’ll be okay!” He pulls Taako off and Taako is flailing, Taako is crying, Taako is _screaming_ that he doesn’t know, he just _doesn’t know_ what’s going on. “The robot did something to his--to his _brain,_ Angus, it--”

The person stops cold at this, leaning down and shifting the smaller thing from his arms to his back and looking Taako in the eyes. “ _What_ did you say? What did it do?”

“It happened to _me,_ too, I was--it felt like I was confused. But I got rid of it. But Taako--”

Taako is sobbing, striking out at the person before him with fists, yelling, “I don’t _know I don’t understand I don’t know I don’t understand I don’t know I don’t understand_ \--”

And the person soothes Taako, pets his hair, tells a kid near him, “Look after him ‘n’ Merle for a sec, okay?”

“Uh,” the kid says, and Taako starts trying to hit _him_ while crying and clawing at his ears. “Okay, Angus. What’re you gonna do?”

“Don’t _touch my son._ ” The tall person takes something out of a bag and aims it. It hits something far off square in the chest, and there’s a metallic _clang_ as it hits the ground, and then--then Taako is normal again, and… ...not confused, but tired now after being confused. He’s in awe, looking at Angus and his crossbow and wondering how he managed to do that, but then he’s murmuring that he’s sorry, he didn’t mean it, he’s so sorry, and Angus is saying it’s okay.

“Don’t worry, Taako,” Angus soothes, scooping him up in his arms and carrying Merle on his back. “It’s all right now, buddy. I will _never_ let anything hurt you. When this is all over, we’re all going to take such a nice nap, and it’s gonna be okay, okay?”

Taako just stays quiet, now, all cried out and not up to talking, clinging to his shirt.

“Oh, no,” Noelle murmurs from behind everyone.

Magnus turns instantly. “What is it, Noelle? Are you okay?”

“No, um, sorry. Sorry, Magnus--sorry, everybody, I’m… I’m not. Oh, no. Oh, _no._ I’m like those robots and they’re like me because--because they’re soul thingies--because--because I--I _died._ My name is Noelle Redcheek. My family does cider stuff out in Hogsbottom. We were in Phandalin on family vacation, ‘n’--”

Taako freezes.

 _Angus_ freezes.

“Noelle,” he says, as softly and carefully as he can, “you’re from _Phandalin?_ I mean, um, the-- _the_ Phandalin, you died in that fire? You--”

“Dunno why,” she keeps saying, sounding dazed. “Dunno why but there was all this fire, s--so much _screaming,_ I los’ track of my family at first, but I--found ‘em again. ‘n’ some… ...something…? We hid, why did we hide…? And the whole world burned.”

Taako’s eyes are wide as saucers. He pulls his hat over his head.

“Noelle,” Angus says, “it’s okay to feel what you need to feel. I _found_ Taako in Phandalin, did you know that?”

She shakes her head, looking surprised. “No…!!”

“Yeah, and that’s my main case I’m working on right now, so don’t feel alone, okay? Never feel alone--”

And Taako _screams._ Some more. Now his voice is _dead,_ but it doesn’t matter. It’s so much, he _screams and screams_ until it all dies down, and Angus looks shocked at it at first, but then he cradles him. “Buddy, I know. I know… I know, oof. What a rough day, huh? But you’re not back there, you’re right here with me, do you feel me? Do you hear me breathing? It’s okay, Taako.”

Magnus _starts_ at the screaming before coming right over to Taako, Noelle hovering by his side. “Hey, hey… Hey, though. You know what’s neat, you guys? You’re here now. Taako was at that big scary thing, Noelle was at that big scary thing, but you’re both here now! So it’s gonna be okay!”

“Yeah… ...yeah! The world’s still here!”

“And I think maybe,” Angus says, “if we can keep Maureen from using that crystal anymore, if we can stop this stone from being… ...a thing? We can keep the world safe again.”

Noelle’s deep in thought. “So… ...so that stone could be bad for the world… ...like the fire was for Phandalin? For me?”

“Yeah,” Angus says, “yeah, exactly, Noelle. So… ...so this is going to be over soon, I promise. But we just gotta--”

Suddenly, Noelle falls over. A white light comes out of her and goes off and comes back with a big robot with a weapon attached to its arm. “Now, I--now I know I’m little,” she says, “but I can still be a hero. And you’re gonna need some help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOSH... MY STORY IS LIKE A STORY TM. this arc is and has been so, so, so much. okay. i hope it's still worth it tho. ;A; LMAO i will try to make it so. i love u all a lot. bye


	26. Chapter 14, pt. 7

When Noelle kicks the door open, she’s the first one to enter the room. Angus insists that everyone stays with him or behind him, safe from harm, but she’s a big robot so she gets to go first. Taako’s finally come to his senses enough to let Angus put him down, freeing up the adult’s arms for sleepy Merle. Carey and Magnus would be charging ahead, if not for the detective stopping them from going too far, which Taako _particularly_ doesn’t understand because he’s careful to stay behind Angus like he’s supposed to, ears drooping as he takes in the scenery.

He notices the… ...the purple, first. Blue? No, blue is like sky; this is purple, spreading outward and almost looking like _candy,_ hanging from the ceiling in spikes like icicles. It’s so pretty that if the little elf weren’t so terrified, he might gasp at it; he’s never seen anything like it before, as far as he knows. He has to be reminded very gently and softly to keep his eyes ahead of him, and that’s when he notices all the robots like Noelle all on the floor, and he has to try to be so quiet. He’s so quiet and sneaky, and even the louder members of their party are softer now, but then he nearly _screams_ because inside one of the poky purple bits dripping down from the ceiling is--

\--is a _man._ Is a grownup man and Taako doesn’t know if he’s a robot or _not_ , but he doesn’t care, tugging anxiously on his hat to try to get rid of the sight of him. In one of his hands is one of the flat “disks” with a light in the middle, and in the other one is a rock. There’s an area in front of the man, something tall, and floating above it is one of the brightest blue mirrors anyone’s ever seen with little bits of shiny, not quite silver but something else. When he risks a glance into it he sees another place like he did in the mirrors before, and so many lights are floating inside over pretty water. It’s so nice it’s easy to want to keep looking, but there’s a building in it that makes the elf swallow hard with fear, big and awful.

It’s only when he tries to look away from the mirror and not get spooked that he sees Miss Miller, and she’s standing under this pokey purple thing with a big stick, hitting it for reasons he doesn’t understand. She looks… ...tired, like Angus when Grandpa was sick. He notices in a very careful way. She’s tired and slumped over almost like Angus in the wagon, almost like Taako could reach out and tell her softly, “shh, shh,” and she’d sleep there. She’s trying to… ...get the man out, maybe? Her head is hurt, which makes him start back a little and bite his lip. But she’s so, so tired.

And she notices Noelle kick open the door, and she says, “Oh, _shit._ ”

If Barry were here, he’d be mad about the bad words.

Magnus keeps moving, only held back by Angus.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she’s stammering, backing up.

“This isn’t something I say often,” Angus tries, looking pretty angry, “but--but god _damn_ it if I couldn’t just kick your ass right now.”

“I’m sorry!” She’s still backing up, fidgeting with her glasses. “I’m--I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please, stop! Please, don’t hurt me, okay?”

Magnus is pretty egged on by this entire thing, crowing “ _lemme at her_ ” as loudly as he can and bouncing from side to side, and he does a gravelly voice soon enough, stretching his arms out like he’s flying. “We’re _both_ going to kick your ass, and I’m _Batman_!! TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO KNOW!!”

Miss Miller seems to be ignoring him now, fully focused on Angus. “J--Jesus, please--”

Taako has honestly never seen Angus this angry before, not at anything, and it makes him a little nervous. “I--I--again, I don’t get a lot of opportunities to say this in my line of work, but… ...not a lot of people I encounter actively endanger a bunch of _children,_ so. I’m done fucking around, Miss Miller. You paralyzed me. Innocent people don’t do things like that. Talk _now_ or I’ll tell everyone to turn their heads while I--while I _make_ you talk, got it?”

“Okay--”

“Don’ worry,” Merle mumbles, “th’ lady is my _frien’..._ ”

“Shhshh, Merle,” Taako murmurs back, distracted.

It works. Merle drifts again.

“Okay, okay--okay, stop, okay!” As she says this, it almost seems like Miss Miller is stopping, though she still looks very scared. “I’ll--I’ll explain everything.” She sighs, fiddling with her glasses a little more, out of habit more than anything else. “See, I um, I haven’t been entirely truthful with you guys. When I brought Angus--um, M-Mister McDonald on, I didn’t--it didn’t--I’ve had this stone for months, actually. I found it for… ...for me, for my work, but also for my father, Lucas. We both spent our time studying the planes and realities that lie beyond this one, and… ...the C-Cosmoscope? Was the culmination of that work. Um. When we got our hands on the stone, we could finally complete it, b-because--”

“Oh, I _get_ it,” Magnus gasps sincerely. “Your dad is a _robot!_ ”

“...Something went wrong,” Miss Miller finally manages, voice trembling.

Angus’s eyes are still narrowed into furious slits. “Yeah, okay.”

“He--he insisted that he test out the Cosmoscope,” Miss Miller manages after several minutes of trembling and stuttering, avoiding eye contact and fiddling even more with her glasses. “He wouldn’t--he wouldn’t let me go in with him, and when he used it the way it was intended, his mind was--was destroyed. Literally. I lost him, and--and it was all I could do to start to think of ways to save him.” She looks… ...sad and scared. Taako hates it; he hates that she’s without a papa, even as she’s put them through everything. It makes him feel a kind of bad feeling in his stomach, almost sort of sick. “With--with my background in robotics and my study in planar energies that I learned with my father, I devised a plan. I invented the conduit, a device capable of storing a living spirit and giving it agency over a robotic body. I created that to give him a new body he could live in, and I created a siphon which I could use to find him in the astral plane and fish him out of there to give him a new robot body. When I invented those, I--I tested them out on you, Noelle. You were the first one I found. I found you in the astral plane mirror and I pulled you out and I put you in that body, and I--” She’s looking at Noelle now, seeming close to crying. “I’m so sorry for dragging you into this, it… ...it was selfish of me. But I looked for weeks and then this morning I found… ...I found my father in there.”

She points at the mirror, now, at that terrible building. “I extracted him into this custom conduit. It was my masterpiece. And I was hoping--I’d hoped he’d be this brilliant man he was in life, but his mind is just gone. He--he attacked me, and I escaped, and I went to the medbay to regroup and patch myself up, and here we are. He--he’s got the stone, he crystalized himself in that stalactite--”

Angus sighs, rubbing his eyes from behind his glasses.

“--he took the siphon in with him. He nearly killed me and I just--I--I have no idea why.”

It takes Angus a moment to speak again, once he’s adjusted his glasses again and taken a deep breath. “Maureen, I just… ...you’ve hidden this from all of us. I… I could’ve actually tried to _help_ you. June and I, we could’ve… ...we could’ve _helped._ Appropriately, without all this. And I wouldn’t have endangered the life of a _child_ in the process, and maybe you would’ve known better than to open up a museum in crisis to a bunch of preschoolers on a goddamn field trip. This was so fucking _unnecessary,_ okay, and it’s become such a goddamn circus. Why weren’t you just--I mean, I get it, you knew I wouldn’t let you keep doing this stuff, right? For the good of like, the world. But why even bring us in at all?”

Taako tries his best not to flinch at seeing Angus like this.

“I’m--I’m sorry,” she croaks, and now she really _is_ crying. The little elf has to pull down his hat so he doesn’t see it, but he can hear it in her voice, and he still feels so bad. “You’re right, okay? Completely. I didn’t think this--I didn’t think this through at all. I just thought if you could help me figure out how to get it under control, without--without maybe learning the cause and the origins of all this… ...because now I know you’re going to hurt him, you’re going to make me put him back in the astral plane and… ...and I don’t want to lose him again, Angus. M-Mister McDonald. I don’t--I don’t want to.”

This time, when Angus advances, she doesn’t move away. He touches her shoulder gently, as if to comfort. “I know this is hard to understand and hear, Maureen. I know it is, but… ...but your father wouldn’t have struck you, would he?”

She shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“No. He wouldn’t have, because… ...because he loved you too much. And--and I’m so sorry, Maureen, I really am. But your father is gone. Help us fix this, okay?”

This time, she nods. “...O-Okay. I will.”

“Did she get so scared she peed…?” Merle mumbles, smiling into Angus now.

Magnus laughs loudly at this. “Yeah, she definitely peed a little bit!”

Maureen sighs. Taako isn’t laughing this time at all.

Suddenly, the voice of the pink salt comes out of the mirror. “You guys’re sort of dumb, huh?”

“Hey! ...Maybe one or two of us is, but not _all_ of us.”

“Hol’ on,” Merle murmurs some more, “I ‘nna ask mirror a question. Who’s the fairest of them all?”

“Um. ...Not _you,_ so. How about that!”

This time, instead of looking like a pink salt skeleton, they can see him as a little boy like them. He looks like a person now, with dark hair and dressed in all black so fancy, too fancy for a little boy. “Lemme _‘splain_ somethin’, okay?” He tries, still speaking all funny and trying to look very serious in the mirror as they all peer at him. “That nerd is a--is a--n--nec--nec… ...oh, no.”

This poor salt. They wait patiently as he fumbles all over himself.

“Nec--nec--necco… ...wafer? Necktie… ...dancer… ...neck-ro-man… ...hold on, I’m almost there. Necromancer! Yeah. An’ where we come from, that’s really bad, okay? Really, really bad, so… ...so.”

“What’s that mean?” Magnus asks.

“Wait, hold on, Magnus,” Angus says, and his eyes are wide as he observes this little boy in the mirror. “I’m sorry, little guy, but are you… ...like, _death?_ How are you so tiny? Where are your parents?” He sighs a little almost to himself. “What a day.”

“Um,” Kravitz stammers, looking wary of Angus now. “Um, my name’s Kravitz. But some people… ...say Death too, yeah. But that’s also my mummy’s name. U-um, actually, can you forget I said this part? I’m not allowed.”

“Your… ...mom? Wait, are you talking about--about the _Raven Queen?_ ”

At this, the little boy almost brightens up, smiling a little. “Oh, yeah! That’s my mummy’s name. Do you know her? Oh, wait--that’s--that’s silly. She knows everyone. Um, yeah, see, um, I’m not a big enough--enough boy to um, to do this stuff yet. This is my first time, um--um--an’ she said I could do it on account of, well, some of you guys are just kids like me, and um, also it’s Take Your Child to Work Day, so she said’s I could use my fancy scythe ‘n’ everythin’, ‘n’ then I came where she said to come, so now everyone is goin’ to the Et--Eternal--Et… ...Eternal? Stockade. With me, Kravitz. Hi.”

Angus is just listening patiently to the salt now. “Well, um. If it helps, you’re doing a pretty good job. But are you sure your mommy didn’t mean for you to see someone else? Maureen here’s done some stuff that your mom probably wouldn’t like, but these are just little kids like you. Are you sure you’re not confused?”

Kravitz stammers, wringing his hands. “Um, well--well see, Mummy’s gonna take care of Maureen Miller. She’s in the book, ‘n’ so’s her dad, too. But no, I promise! I swear, the book says all these kids, too.”

“And what book is that, buddy?”

“Oh, um. I--I guess I can show you.” The big book appears in Kravitz’s hands again, only this time he looks more like a person than a skeleton when he tries to hold it up and reads. It’s still pretty much bigger than him, though, and it’s such a silly sight that probably even Angus can’t help but smile a little at it. “‘S this one! ‘S got all my stuff in there. I don’t usually get--get to see the book but I can read ‘n’ there’s stuff in here. See--”

“Wait a minute,” Taako interrupts, confused now and blinking.

“Yeah,” Merle agrees for no reason, still mostly asleep.

“Wait,” Magnus interjects, getting antsy and standing on tiptoes. “What did Magnus do?”

“Magnus--wait, let’s start with… ...um, Taako?”

His ears perk up and he tilts his head to the side curiously. “Yeah?”

“You’ve died… ...um, eight times.”

This is higher than he can count. Taako decides this means it’s too much, dismissing him immediately and scoffing. “Pcht. I’ve always thought you were good, salt friend, but this is just dumb. ‘Sides, I don’t even know how many that _is._ ”

Kravitz patiently holds up _(1 - 2 - 3 - 4)_ five fingers on one hand and ( _1 - 2_ ) three on the other. “This many.”

“Oh,” Taako gasps. That is a _lot_ of times. “But I… ...I haven’t either? I haven’t died at _all_ times!”

“Pfft,” the little boy dismisses him, and Taako thinks this is very rude. “Mummy tol’ me they _all_ say that. They’re not ready to go. But it doesn’t matter, ‘cuz you gotta. ‘nyways, we can do…” He glances down at the book. “...Magnus next. Burnsides, right?”

“Um. Yeah,” Magnus admits, hesitantly, “but--”

“You’ve died… ...nineteen times!”

“Nu-uh!”

“ _Yuh_ -huh,” Kravitz contradicts, and as he’s finally got them all there and where he needs them to talk, he sounds a little less nervous. “‘n’ none of you have come to the… ...the astral plane, so. Merle, from before… ...Merle Highchurch? You… ... _you’ve_ died fif… ...fifty seven times! Which is more’n the other ones, and you’ve never come to the astral plane, so that’s… ...bad, right there.”

Merle is too out of it to really respond at this point, honestly. “Um… ...guys, did he jus’ say I _died?_ ”

“He said we _all_ died, Merle,” Magnus lets him know. “But when you say ‘died--’”

“Are you--”

“I mean you _died,_ dummies!!” Kravitz looks _angry_ now. “You’re _dead,_ super duper really badly awfully _dead_ ‘n’ now you gotta--” And as he gets angrier, his normal little boy form starts melting away to make a skeleton with red eyes, and his black clothes are getting longer, and a little scythe appears in his hands. “--’n’ now you’re gonna **_come with me,_ ** ‘cuz that’s the law and that’s how it works ‘cuz _I_ say so ‘n’ my **_mummy_ ** says so or _else!!_ ”

“How can we be dead,” Taako wonders, “if we’re still right here? I just don’t know about this, Kravitz.”

“Yeah, well,” he hisses, “well, well--I don’t _either!!_ But it doesn’t **_matter._ ** ”

“Hey, Miss Miller, pssst,” Magnus whispers, but too loudly, “can he get out here without that mirror thingy?”

She doesn’t answer, trembling.

Taako can’t help but notice something else in the mirror, though. Kravitz is starting to look really scary, even for a nervous little boy, but it’s something else behind him. The big and scary building in the background, the one he hasn’t wanted to look at, has lights pouring from it and they make a big hand, too big for someone small like Kravitz. It’s sneaking up on him, it’s gonna get him, and Taako doesn’t know whether or not he should say something now that he knows how much the other boy wants to take him away from his life here.

The skeleton boy doesn’t seem to notice, still rambling. “I _can’t_ let you stay out there, okay, I just can’t, b-but--but it doesn’t have to be _too_ bad. Just come with me, please. Or um, not… ...not please, because you’re _criminals._ Thanks.”

Magnus has noticed, too. “Hey, Kravitz? Um... ...never mind.”

“I thought you were pretty, before,” Taako notes, “but now you’re just spooky.”

“Um.” This does seem to stop Kravitz in his tracks a little bit. “What?”

“Yeah, ‘cuz pink is my fav’rite color, ‘n’ _then_ even when you were a little boy, you were pretty! But now you look all scary ‘n’ I dunno, I don’t think it’s good for me to come in there and I don’t think Angus wants us to and I’m not leaving him, so. Oh, well.”

Kravitz looks so caught off-guard still, but he shakes his head, trying to focus. “Okay, okay, whatever! Are you gonna come with me or not??”

The hand is right behind him now.

Magnus shifts on his feet. “The answer… ...to whether or not we’re coming with you… ...is…”

And then it _grabs_ Kravitz, still too big and still too much for someone so small, and it’s like it’s hurting him so he can’t get his breath or talk anymore. He starts crying, wailing and struggling as it squeezes him too tight, then starts to look like it’s going to smash him into the ground. And maybe Taako shouldn’t care like he does, the way he does; maybe he should just forget about this friend and try to ignore that he sounds just like a little boy who’s scared and in pain because they want to take him away. But he _does_ care, and he’s almost stuck looking wide-eyed at it for a second. “Hey, you--you leave him _alone!!_ ”

“M-Mummy,” Kravitz is screeching desperately, “Mummy, **_help!!_ ** Mummy, ‘s got me, ‘s got me, **_help_ ** \--”

And then--

\--then something big and monstrous says, **HOW** **_DARE_ ** **YOU.**

It doesn’t say it like a person says things. It’s almost inside Taako’s head, but it’s inside _everyone’s_ head really, and it’s a lady’s voice. When the elf lays his eyes on her, he feels so terribly afraid, and it feels like back in Phandalin and it feels like more than that somehow, and he feels like he knows her but he doesn’t know if he wants to, and she enters the frame in the mirror and overtakes it all, all black ink and she crows like a livid bird. **YOU WILL** **_ALL PAY DEARLY_ ** **FOR THESE TRANSGRESSIONS. I PROMISE YOU THAT MUCH. UNHAND HIM OR I WILL FORCE YOU TO DO SO.**

And just like that, the hand lets go of Kravitz, who is immediately swept up by this lady who’s nothing like Taako has ever seen before, her face like a bird skeleton mask and her feathers everywhere, and she drapes these black wings protectively around him. Kravitz is sobbing into her and trembling, and Taako can’t recognize the language she soothes him in, petting his hair so soft. This is his mom, and she’s so busy tending to him that she nearly misses the lights reforming, and the crinkle tinkles begin to start again as the air almost changes.

“ _Kept from our children, lovers, friends,  
_ _subject to rules we did not make,  
_ _this is where separation ends,  
_ _and souls of the lost will come awake._  
Enter this crystal kingdom.”

The disk that the Lucas robot is holding is getting brighter now, so bright it hurts to look at, and it gets through the mirror somehow, and all these white lights that were hurting Kravitz are almost getting through, now. Taako watches in horror as they nearly manage to get outside and start to try to form a big skeleton, and all these voices speak all at once.

“ _Thank you, Lucas. Your job is done._ ”

But it starts to turn towards everyone _else,_ addressing them, and Taako feels so much fright he just buries his head into Angus now, hoping it will all go away. “ _Living ones, no matter how small, join us in our cause! Permit us entry into this world so that we may tear down the barriers of life and death._ ”

“No,” Magnus spits. “I don’t even know what most of that _means,_ but I don’t _wanna!_ ”

“‘S nice of you to ask, though,” Merle murmurs. “‘s good manners…”

The big skeleton thing _pounds_ its fists on the floor now. “ _You_ will _join us in one way or another!_ ”

 **NO, NO,** **_NO YOU DON’T,_ ** Kravitz’s mom howls in a way nothing should be able to do. All the black feathers, all that scary mass, start pulling the skeleton back _in_ through the mirror before vanishing, but it’s too late to stop all these different lights going into all the different robots. Noelle doesn’t really know what she’s doing with her weapon arm, but she’s trying to protect everyone, except then they all start to turn on Miss Miller, who’s been trembling with fear and tears almost this entire time, and they all blast her with lasers. She slumps over, and--and Taako has to just keep his face buried, so buried into Angus so he doesn’t have to see, doesn’t have to think about it, and then he hears a robot voice, an adult man voice.

“Get the hell away from my **_daughter!!_ ** ”

“Lucas, give me the crystal.” Angus’s voice is so calm. It’s all Taako has.

“Why should I give it to you? I saw how you wanted to hurt her. I _know_ you did.”

“Yeah,” Angus admits after a second, sighing. “Yeah, Lucas, I… ...I really did. I won’t lie to you about that, I uh, I really, really wanted to hurt her for everything she put us through today.” There’s a pause. “But you can understand, right? She didn’t directly hurt my son, but she--she indirectly put him and his friends in a lot of danger. I care about these kids every bit as much as you do for your daughter, Lucas. And I know it’s a lot. And--and if we want our children--if we want our children to have a better world, a safer future, you need to trust me. You need to give me that stone.”

Another pause.

“Are you gonna help undo this?”

“Um, yes, sir. Yes, of course I am, sir. That’s my job as an enforcer of justice. Just give me a second to make sure I can grab it safely, without--yeah. Hold on.”

This is enough for Taako to risk a glance up now. He wants to tell Angus not to touch it, because he knows what happens to people who touch it, even as he puts special gloves on and takes some prongs out to handle it, but he also knows what the adult says is true. They _need_ to get rid of that rock, and right now, there’s no one better in the lab to know how to do that than his Angus, always so smart and so brave. He feels nervous, though, a wrenching feeling when Angus’s eyes go wide and he nearly drops it, eyes glazing over a little.

“Angus?” Taako tries cautiously, ears drooped all the way down. “Are you okay?”

“Um, yeah, little guy,” Angus murmurs, voice too far away for it to be a comfort. “It’s just almost like it’s… ...talking to me…?”

Taako shoots Magnus the most distressed look in the world, almost telling him to step away, but Magnus peers at it on tip-toes and looks unafraid and unimpressed. “That? Rocks don’t talk, silly. I could eat that thing anyways.”

This is so absurd it snaps Angus out of it, and he keeps a hold of it and himself. “I’m sorry, did you say you’d _eat_ it, Magnus?”

“Yeah,” Magnus admits freely. Taako scoffs and even Merle giggles, having been set down to rest on Magnus’s shoulder again while Angus handles the rock. “It looks like _rock candy,_ you guys! How do we _know_ it’s not candy?”

“Because we _know,_ ” Taako answers very seriously back. “Don’t eat it, you goofus!”

“I won’t!”

“Magnus, bud,” Angus tells him, “seriously--don’t eat this, okay? Please, never ever.”

“I _won’t!!_ Sheesh. I was just _sayin’_ it looked good is all.”

Angus holds his gaze to make sure he’s serious, holding the stone in a bag that has the prongs in it, and his gloves are gonna stay on. At least they seem to work, which is good; Taako should know better, anyway. Angus would never use just regular ol’ gloves to handle something this dangerous. “Good. Okay, now--is--is Maureen gonna be okay?”

It seems like Lucas has brought her back to life. She gasps and she’s breathing.

Merle says a little prayer, still dazed but coming out of it a little.

Everyone agrees this is probably a good idea.

Suddenly they can hear Miss Lucretia’s voice crackling from Angus’s Stone of Far Speech, and everyone _starts_ at first, but she seems really worried. “Come in, come in, please! Angus, what’s going on? I know we kind of left you behind back there and I’m so sorry, family emergency, but is everyone okay? Are you--are you all okay?”

“Hi, Lucretia,” Angus manages, relief in his voice. “Yeah, we’re um, we’re kind of shaken over here, a… ...a lot has happened. But we’re, we’re… ...we’re technically okay, um. I got the Stone secured and everything, so… ...so things should be safe now? Things should be okay now. Um--”

“I _ate_ it!!”

“Good grief,” says Miss Lucretia’s voice, “Magnus--you did _what?_ ”

“No, he didn’t, Lucretia,” Angus says as Carey’s voice tries to yell over his to tell her no, no he didn’t, he’s _lying,_ and Magnus laughs and starts wrestling with her again. “Don’t worry. I’ve got it safe and sound.”

“Oh, thank the gods,” she sighs in relief. “And is--is Maureen going to be okay?”

Angus casts a glance over at her, alive and breathing if kind of beat up and being tended to by her robot dad. “I… ...think so? Things looked kinda bleak for a little bit there, but I really think everything’s worked out the best it can, um. Have you seen June and Killian any--”

“We’re right here, pumpkin,” June informs him. “Don’t worry, we--”

“Hi, Carey!”

The little dragonborn gasps and stops playing with Magnus, rushing over to the stone. “Hi, Killian! There were so many robots it was _so cool_ ‘n’ then it was kinda scary but it wound up bein’ okay in the end and Noelle was _so good,_ she was so good and so cool and she was tryin’ to blow stuff up with her one arm like _KASPLOW_ ‘n’ it was so cool ‘n’ I wish you saw it was _sooooo_ cool ‘n’--”

“We’re actually here waitin’ for y’all to come back out. I… I was really… ...I was worried for everyone.” There’s a wobble in June’s voice that Taako doesn’t like at all, but she probably _was_ really scared for everybody, so it’s okay. “I didn’t want to leave, ‘n’ I ran into the others ‘n’ it seemed too unsafe to go back in. I--I would’ve myself but they kept me from doing it, they said you’d want me safe out here, so I--”

“Hey, Junebug,” Angus says gently. “Hey, it’s… ...it’s okay. They’re right. I’m really glad you didn’t come back in here, it… ...it was definitely rough and I don’t know how much good you would’ve been able to do, especially running around by yourself. Don’t worry, okay? We’re all fine. Everything’s okay now.”

“Well, all right, Angus,” June finally manages, “but when you all get out here I’m gonna hug you somethin’ fierce. _And_ I’m gonna give Taako lots of kisses.”

“‘kay,” Taako manages. He’s glad to hear from June after everything.

“Okay,” Angus says, and there’s a tired smile on his face now. “Okay, we’re gonna go and get the heck out of here. Just hang tight. See you soon, June.”

“Bye, June,” Taako waves, even though she can’t see.

“Okay, boys. My two most favorite boys, I love you both so much. Um, see you in a sec.”

“Okay, now that that’s… ...taken care of, um. Lucas, can I talk to you? Over here.”

The robot man agrees, because his daughter is out cold but otherwise okay, and Taako briefly lets go of the detective’s leg to let him go talk to Maureen’s dad about something. He tilts his head, almost trying to listen in, but then he winds up talking to the others. “Angus helps even when he’s mad, huh,” he observes. “He was so, so mad at Miss Miller, I--I kinna thought he’d _hurt_ her, but he helped anyways.”

“He’s just really nice,” Magnus decides. Everyone agrees.

Before they have time to contemplate this, another portal to another place opens, and a light goes inside one of the robots. It’s missing an arm, but it’s otherwise okay. A little boy voice speaks at first and no one recognizes it, because it’s not talking funny. “So, um--so--oh, wait.” He starts sounding funny once he remembers he’s supposed to. “So, um, we--we did stuff over here ‘n’ it’s okay now. Um, it’s me, Kravitz. Hi again.”

“ _Ohhh,_ ” Taako gasps, “hi, friend! Sorry that hand hurt you.”

“‘s’okay,” Kravitz says, but his voice is quieter. “Um, it was really scary--um--but it’s okay now. I don’ really wanna talk about it, I jus’ wanted to say, um, my mummy says it’s important to be a polite and good boy so’s I jus’ wanted to come here and say thanks. Because, um--because, um, Taako, you didn’t _want_ that hand to hurt me, and that’s not bad like a criminal, and also ‘cuz you called me pretty and it was nice, and also um, tell your daddy that it was awful nice of him to help stuff ‘cuz this almost went pretty bad? Yeah.”

Even after everything, Taako smiles so wide. “You’re welcome! Angus is really good, huh?”

“Yeah,” his friend admits, sounding shy. “Um, I guess. I can sorta tell. So ‘nyways, the good news is, my mummy says that for now you guys don’t have to come with me. But if you die again, I… I definitely gotta take you in, okay?”

“Okay!” Taako is _so glad_ to hear this.

His detective is lost in thought, though, for a second. He’s getting used to telling exactly what that look on Angus’s face means. “Kravitz,” he says gently and softly, “you’re _very_ welcome, but I was just doing my job. Can we talk about… ...your mom’s, instead? Why does she want to take Taako and his friends to the astral plane?”

“Um,” he stammers, “um, ‘cuz… …’cuz they died, Mister Taako’s Dad.”

“How come your voice is always funny?”

“Um, ‘cuz I gotta do different ones! It _is_ pretty funny, though. Watch!” He switches to an _even sillier_ version of the voice he tried to have on before. “I gots this one, ‘n’--” Then he sounds like a vampire. “--theeees one. ‘n’ then--” Another voice, still funny, more proper. “This one!”

Taako is _beside_ himself with giggles. “Oh, I love it! That’s _really good,_ Kravitz.”

“Oh, um, um, thanks, Taako. Here’s the thing, though, is that um, I’m really sorry, but I’m still gonna have to take Noelle ‘n’ Lucas back on account of they’re ghosts.”

“What? But they helped _too,_ ” Magnus protests.

“Yeah, but--but that mean hand that hurt me was ghosts _too,_ ” Kravitz counters, “an’ also I’m just not sp’osed to let ‘em go no matter what, so.”

“Hey,” Taako’s thinking. “Would you kill somebody whose soul was still in their body?”

“No,” Kravitz insists, sounding horrified at the thought of it. “‘course not, that’s sooooo bad.”

“So there you go,” he says smugly. “Noelle ‘n’ Miss Miller’s dad’re just in new bodies.”

“Also, you can come get ‘em later,” Magnus adds. “Just not _yet._ ”

“That sounds good,” Noelle says, sounding anxious. “Let’s go with that one.”

“Um… ...okay, well… ...well d’you wanna play a game for it? I--um--I know that’s silly,” Kravitz tries, tripping over himself again now that he’s been robbed of his anger, “but I really like games. We--we could play--um. Rock, parchment, shears! D’you guys know that one?”

“Uh, yeah,” Magnus blurts out before anyone can get a word in edgewise. “Of _course_ we do! Lemme play, I’ll play!” He’s hopping up and down. They agree to these terms, and somehow Kravitz manages to play parchment with his new robot hand, but Magnus plays shears and beats him easy. It’s two out of three, but the next round finds Kravitz playing rock when Magnus plays parchment, and he beats him easy again. “I’m good at that game! Hah, I win.”

“Yeah, um, you did really good. You did, um, a great job. I sorta wanted you to win anyways?”

“Aww,” Magnus intones. “That’s so nice!”

“Yeah, you guys did… ...really good, um. Just don’t die ‘nymore ‘n’ this can all be, um, fun--fun--funsy fun make-believe, ‘kay? Like we played pretend.”

“You got it!” Magnus beams.

“Well, okay, this has been real fun ‘n’ stuff, but I gotta get back--”

Miss Miller’s robot dad interrupts him, though, walking toward him. “Maureen, I’m… I’m really sorry about this. I know you did so much to help me out, but I c--I can’t stay.”

She’s too weak to sit up much in protest, but she tries. “What?”

“I can’t stay, Maureen. I have to go back. When I--when I entered ‘the Cosmoscope,’ I saw something I really shouldn’t have, and it killed me and destroyed my mind. And… ...and I was able to regain partial control, but as long as I’m here I risk remembering, and I… ...Maureen, I can’t lose control like that again. I won’t.”

He walks over and kneels down to meet her gaze, even though she’s kind of upset and shocked right now. “I--I know this seems unfair to you right now. But it’s really not that bad over there, y’know? We’ll see each other again someday.” He whispers something to her, something that no one can quite make out before the light pops out of his robot.

Magnus looks very serious suddenly. “Hey, Kravitz? Um, before you go?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell Julia I love her.”

“...Okay, Magnus. I will. She’s really nice.”

“Okay. I--I know. Um. Thank you.”

Everyone is kind of looking surprised to hear about this from Magnus, and he definitely looks sad and maybe even on the verge of tears. As Kravitz leaves his temporary robot body, Taako takes a deep breath and almost rolls his eyes to the ceiling so he doesn’t have to think about how he’s hugging Magnus, but he’s proud of himself, because that’s what someone like Magnus would want and need.

“This is so _great,_ ” the light that is Kravitz chirrups. “Someone’s act’lly comin’ with me! Oh, Mummy won’t _believe_ this. Okay! You ready?”

“Yeah,” Lucas confirms. “Yeah, I’m ready, little man. Take me away.”

They go through to the other place--astral plane, Taako is learning now--and are gone.

When Miss Miller finally stands up and goes over to do some stuff that brings the lab back to life, she’s not saying much of anything. Noelle goes over to everybody and she’s smiling so wide, thanking Magnus for helping but Taako helped too, and soon she’s laughing and admitting that _everyone_ helped, before going off to find her other robot body. She does, and when she comes back, Taako’s worst fear is realized.

They have to get back into Upsy to go out, and this is the worst and most tiring day of his _entire_ life. “Looks like everyone came out of this scrape safe and sound! By the way, I rescued your orc ‘n’ human friends ‘n’ that family of dogs!”

“I know,” Carey says merrily, rocking back and forth on her heels like they’re not in the worst place they could ever possibly be. “She talked to me!”

“Well, you know the drill--climb in my belly!”

Elevator slime falls to the ground. No one but Miss Miller is used to this.

Everyone gets on except her, actually. She turns and goes back to the body that her dad was in and gets something out of it before coming back into the elevator with it, taking a deep breath and facing Angus. “So I know I fucked you guys over tonight. Oh, um, I mean,” she eyes the children anxiously, “sorry. Anyway, I know I’m never gonna actually be able to make that up to you, but whatever my dad saw in the ‘Cosmoscope,’ I think it’s--I think it’s for the best that I don’t know. If what he said it’s true, it’s somewhere in here, and--and I think I can trust you to keep it safe.”

“Go out and do good,” Magnus says.

“Wow,” Miss Miller looks touched in response. “Um, okay, Magnus. I’ll do my best.”

And then, she steps out. The elevator doors close.

All of this terrible stuff is finally coming to an end. They get back out, and that’s more reinforced by the fact that they can see Lucretia, Davenport, Killian, and June--June with the bag, with the umbrella, with Mister Mongoose and safety and comfort and kisses--and for the first time in what feels like forever, Taako knows he can feel relieved. Killian _runs_ toward them all at high speed, wrapping Carey in a huge hug and trying to spin. They almost both fall down, laughing.

“Are you guys okay?”

“Psh, yeah,” Carey grins.

“How’s your arm, Merle?”

“Thorny,” Merle murmurs.

“That… ...doesn’t sound too good, sorry.”

Merle shrugs, too tired to care, and Miss Lucretia is the one to scoop him up into her arms now so that he can rest. _Everyone_ needs a rest now after this entire day, it’s easy to tell. Taako wonders and worries about Barry, but he finds his friend is on the bus, not up to talking much. He doesn’t remember the lab; he doesn’t remember being there, or how he got separated from his mom, and everyone’s too tired to really look into it.

So when they part ways and he goes back on the wagon with June and Angus, Taako doesn’t feel too bad for letting himself get comfy and listen to Angus’s heartbeat. He doesn’t feel guilty or too worried for his friends when June reveals that she brought juice and orange slices and he helps himself to them, making a show of giving Mister Mongoose some too, and things are comfy and cozy as they need to be. Angus tries to play like he’s got Taako’s nose, but the game only lasts so long and he knows it’s silly and dumb before he starts to yawn and drift off.

He’s vaguely aware of Angus carrying him in his arms into the house. “It’s been a long day, buddy,” he says, “and I’m so sorry. Let’s just all get some good rest.”

“Poor thing might be tuckered out for a lil while, huh,” June muses.

“I’d imagine so, June. Listen, I’ll go put him to bed--can you--can you take this thing that Maureen gave to me? It seems pretty important and I don’t want to lose it.”

“Sure thing, sugar.”

“Thanks. Okay, buddy,” he whispers in Taako’s ear, “have a good night, okay?”

The last thing Taako hears before he dreams is a robot voice.

_“I saw all of existence, all at once. I saw a dark storm, a living hunger, eating it from within. But I saw a brilliant light heralded by seven birds flying tirelessly from the storm. I saw seven birds:_

_the Twins,  
_ _the Lover,  
_ _the Protector,  
_ _the Lonely Journal-Keeper,  
_ _the Peacemaker,_  
and the Wordless One. ”  
  
“What do you think it means, Angus?”

“I have no idea.”

But it doesn’t matter to him, not now.

Taako drifts into static and sleep.

 

* * *

 

They’re all sleeping now, which means this moment is opportune. Crucial, even.

When they wake back up, Merle’s arm will always have been lost.

The field trip will not have been a disaster.

Everyone will accept this.

(Everything is perfectly fine.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES. my goal was to get this up before i went on my trip to the desert, and i have succeeded!!! hopefully it's okay. i've been wanting to work on it more than other stories lately bc a) inspiration, but also b) it's... ...just happy? and idk. i know i can't fix all the bad in the world, or even sometimes in my own life or mind. but i can do my part to put a little bit of good out there into it, and i guess this is me trying to do what i can. thank you so much for caring and reading. i love all of you so much. ;A; <3


	27. Chapter 15

It’s been a while since the field trip to Miss Miller’s elevator museum.

In that time, Magnus has been spending a lot of time roughhousing with Carey, to the exasperation of Miss Lucretia. He’s started bragging around everyone about how sneaky he is. Noelle’s a new classmate now, and she spends a lot of time with both of them and Killian. Merle claims to have seen Miss Lucretia _outside of class,_ which sounds pretty wild to everybody involved (she might even live there--no one’s figured out yet if that’s true or not). It seems like too much to be true, but he claims that his mommy took him for something called a “spa” day and they saw her there and that she has a life outside of the daycare and everything. It’s _super_ weird, so Taako doesn’t think about it much.

Instead, to his delight, Angus has promised to teach him some magic.

He’s been extra busy lately, muttering under his breath about how certain things since the field trip just don’t make sense. Taako’s gotten a peek at his office and there’s threads everywhere, connecting words and pictures that the little elf just doesn’t understand, and he works so hard and so often that sometimes June is the one to take him home and stay with him instead and he falls asleep at his desk. Something about that whole thing is _not_ right, Angus says.

But because he’s been working himself “down to the bone” as June puts it, he’s promised to take a little bit of a break to spend some “quality time with [his] favorite little guy.” Taako is _pretty_ sure that’s him, and he’s awfully excited. He’s even _more_ excited the day it finally happens, the day when Angus has no work because June is taking over, going off to see Leon about some things and maybe making a stop at Fantasy Costco. No work for Angus means time spent with Taako, which means he’s finally going to get what he wants, and he swings his legs joyously at the table as he sings little songs about it.

(Mister Mongoose is excited, too. They talk about it over breakfast.)

“If you wanted to be a wizard,” Taako had asked before, “‘zat mean you know any spells, Angus?”

He’d smiled, flopped out on the bed as Taako crawled over to hear his breathing, soft and easy. “As a matter of fact, little guy, I do.”

“ _Ooh._ ”

“And if you want, I could even show you some. Would you like that?”

“What? ... _Really?_ ” He’d had to study Angus carefully to make sure this was real.

“Yeah, really. We can have a magic day. Wanna see?”

Of course Taako did. It was all he could think about, so now he’s at the table and he’s been so excited that it’s been hard to even eat the Loops like usual, humming in excitement and anticipation. He barely touches his bowl before he declares himself done and ready, beaming and not even able to sit still, almost beside himself and shaking with joy. “Okay, Loops are _over,_ ” he insists, even though he’s barely touched his breakfast. “Magic time, magic time! Magic time now! It’s _magic_ day and I want magic _now,_ please.”

“ _Very_ polite, Taako,” Angus praises him, and Taako just beams. “But maybe you should have a little more to eat--”

“No thanks I’m not hungry,” Taako spits out frantically with no pauses in-between the words, pausing only to adjust his hat so it’s not as over his face and he can see. He’s trying to sit nicely for Angus to show that he’s ready, but he’s too excited, and all of his words come out rushed and eager. “Magic magic magic magic _magic…_ ”

“Oh, boy,” Angus laughs. “I’m regretting this already. Okay, bud. You wore me down.”

This is the best news the little elf has ever heard. “Yes!!” He’s hopping now.

“Okay, now I’m gonna tell you the rules. You have your own wand, right?”

Taako waves the one he got at Fantasy Costco so much his hand nearly becomes a blur, waving it and watching it sparkle and make little sound effects. “Yup, I do! It’s right here, Angus. Don’t worry.”

His detective looks pleased with him. “Okay, good. That’s very good, Taako. So you don’t ever take mine or anyone else’s, okay? That wand is special for little boys like you, but this wand is different.”

“Oh, I love mine, Angus,” he answers back merrily and loyally. “Don’t worry. I won’t take yours.”

“Good. You’re doing great already, buddy.”

Taako gasps. “Really?”

“Mhm. But today, I’m going to show you what you can do… ...if you _don’t_ have your wand. Again, this is… ...something you don’t do, not right now, okay? And when you start doing it, you _always_ make sure I’m with you. Those are the rules, okay?”

He sighs impatiently, waiting for the rules part to be over. “Okay, Angus, okay! Magic now! Do somethin’ already!!” He’s fidgeting restlessly now, because he’s never even _heard_ of magic you do without a wand before, and he really wants to know what happens next.

He laughs again, fixing his glasses. “Okay, okay. I’ve kept you waiting long enough. Let’s see, um… ...boy, I haven’t done this since I was a kid, I’m a little rusty. Uh.” Taako knows that look on Angus’s face, though, serious and far away as he sets his wand down. He’s _concentrating_ awfully hard, so preoccupied that it’s almost like his surroundings don’t matter anymore. “This… ...this is called Mage Hand.”

“Mage Hand,” Taako echoes faithfully, eyes wide as saucers even though nothing’s happened yet.

And then… ...something _does._ Angus stands there with his hands open and apart, and a hand appears, but it doesn’t look like a real hand. It looks like a ghost hand, all see through and blue, and there’s only one finger. It falls to the ground like it’s real, though, twitching.

“Oh, God,” Angus says. “Sorry, buddy, I told you I’m not very good at--”

But Taako is _enraptured,_ standing eagerly over it. “ _Ooohhh!! Kill it, Angus!! Kill it!!_ ”

“...You want me to kill a hand?”

“Um, duh, yeah I do! Get it with the _fork,_ ” Taako chirps, being as dramatic as he can as he flails over it. “Oh, it’s so gross, it’s a monster! You’ve gotta get it, Angus!” But he’s smiling and he’s giggling and he’s flailing and he’s trying to keep a safe distance from the spooky thing.

Now Angus has caught on to the fun, and he chuckles a little. “Okay, here I go! I’ve created a monster and now I’ve got to take it out.” He brandishes a fork so dramatically, like it’s a weapon, before stabbing the stupid spooky hand. It disappears in a _puff_ of smoke and Taako is beside himself, giggling and flailing with absolute joy. “You like that?”

“Angus,” Taako manages, hair falling in his face, “that was the _best_ thing I ever saw! Wow. You’re like a real wizard!”

Now Angus looks sheepish. “Well, I dunno about that--”

“I do! You did _magic_ ‘n’ it was so neat. Wow.” He takes a second to process it all, fiddling absently with his own plastic toy wand and getting a little lost in thought. “Wow, you’re… ...you’re really good, Angus.”

“Well, gee. Um. Thanks, Taako. You’re really good, too, y’know.”

“Yeah,” Taako chirrups, “I know.”

Now he’s being _swooped_ up by Angus and dangled upside down just a little, for fun, and he giggles and _howls_ with glee until he’s just sort of hanging there. “Hey, um, Angus?”

“Yeah, little guy?” Angus sets him back down. “What’s up?”

“Um, who taught you this stuff?”

“Who taught me how to do magic, you mean?” He’s going over to the couch to sit and Taako follows him loyally with Mister Mongoose. He’s also abandoned the toy wand in favor of the umbrella, which he drags with him.

“Yeah! I was just wonderin’.” He shrugs as he takes a seat by Angus on the couch, snuggling into him with his thumb in his mouth a little as he listens to that soft breathing again. “‘cuz whoever taught you’s got to be the _best_ wizard in the whole world.”

At this, Angus smiles softly, holding the little elf close to his chest. There’s a smile in his voice, but it’s maybe a little quieter than usual. “Well, um… ...I guess I taught myself, bud. I know that’s not really exciting, but I just… ...I just read a whole bunch. Learned some ‘cuz I thought it was what I wanted to do.”

“Pfft,” Taako scoffs, sticking his tongue out. “Reading.”

“Yup,” Angus confirms, ruffling his hat a little. “Reading. Wizards gotta read a _lot,_ buddy.”

He whines a little about this, profoundly disappointed. “ _Gross._ ” It takes a moment of pouting and Angus shrugging about it, but after that he forgets about all that. “Well, anyway, I was right. You _were_ taught by the best in the whole world.”

“You really think so, Taako?”

“Yuh-hum.”

“Well, that’s very nice. Thank you.” After a moment of sitting calmly, he grins playfully. “Wanna see some more hands?”

Taako is _delighted._ “Bring ‘em on!”

They spend as long as they can this way. Angus tries making different hands, but it’s been so long since he’s practiced, and a lot of them don’t come out very good. These are Taako’s _favorites_ because they look absolutely horrible, and he screams and makes theatrics and playtime out of them every time. With more and more practice, though, they get more and more fingers and almost come to life. It isn’t until a few days later, though, that he shows Taako what he can _really_ do.

“Hey, Taako,” he says casually over breakfast, “wanna see somethin’ cool?”

He doesn’t even wait before he makes another hand, this one blue and formed all the way, and it gives Taako a big thumbs up. Taako gasps with delight and giggles, nearly snorting milk out of his nose before he gives a thumbs up back. “Wow! That’s _so amazin’._ ”

“I practiced,” Angus lets him know. “That’s what all good wizards do.”

“Pcht.”

“Would you believe me,” he says after a moment, “if I said I had an _even better_ surprise though?”

 _This_ gets the boy’s attention almost immediately, and his ears perk way up in curiosity and he pushes his hair and his hat up out of his face. “Ooh. What _is_ it?”

“Well, um, you know how you talked to the Candlenights Candle awhile ago?”

Taako is _already_ excited about this topic of conversation. “Yeah. Wait, is he _here?_ How do you know the Candlenights Candle? Does he have candy? Did he give me presents? Wow, I’m so excited, I can’t believe the Candlenights Candle came to our _house_ \--”

Angus laughs again. “Well, um. He sure did, buddy, while you were sleeping last night. And he told me he was so sorry he couldn’t see you like before, but he did bring you something special, and he told me to give it to you! Because you’re such a wonderful little boy.”

“Wow,” Taako says in awe, and then a box is placed in front of him, glittery and pink how he likes with a bright green bow on top. “Ooh!! Oh, oh, oh, what _is_ it? I’ve never done this in my whole life!”

“Seems like a good time to start, huh? Guess you’ll just have to--”

And Taako _tears_ off the wrapping paper with unabashed glee, giggling and beside himself before Angus can even finish telling him to do it. He’s never done this before but he already likes it, he’s already ready to know what the surprise is and get his hands all _over_ it and his eyes are so wide and his hands are so shaky as Angus gently helps him open the box.

“ _Macarons,_ ” Taako manages. He’s so excited he can’t believe it at first. “I got… ... I got  _macarons._ I wanna _have_ one!”

“Now, one thing to keep in mind,” Angus reminds him, looking awkward, “is that uh, the Candlenights Candle has actually never made macarons before. In fact, um, he kind of thought they were the same thing as _macaroons_ before June did--did a Fantasy Google search for him, she uh, talks to him too. And uh, well, I hope they’re good little guy, because you deserve the best, but I’m sorry if he messed up a little bit.”

As he rambles, Taako eagerly polishes off a pink one. “No, Angus. Angus, Angus.” He goes over to his favorite person in the world now, bringing the umbrella along with him and wrapping him up in a hug. “This is the _best_ Candlenights _ever._ I… I love it.”

Now Angus looks relieved. “Oh, good. I’m so glad, Taako. That’s all I wanted for you.”

He knows.

After a moment, Angus looks at him with a twinkle in his eye. “Wanna know what you’d cast to make ‘em taste better, though?”

“You can make stuff taste good with _magic?_ ” This is news to Taako, and he’s thrilled.

It isn’t so much news to Angus, who confirms that yes, you can. There’s just a spell you have to learn. “It’s called prestidigitation,” Angus lets him know so gentle and soft, which doesn’t make it any easier to understand what he said. “So if I wanted to do it, I’d just point my wand at the box of macarons, and I’d--”

Without thinking, Taako’s grabbed the umbrella, using it as a wand again. “You’d go, ‘pres--pr--presti-- _presto!!_ ”

“Taako,” Angus tries, “I’m not sure if you should be messing around with--”

But it’s too late. What happens is _not_ tastes or anything good at all, and instead, Taako’s present is ruined. Fire happens too quickly for him to process it, and it burns out some letters into the wall, and he _screams_ and drops it as it returns to normal and the sprinklers come back on. He’s still shaking and crying when it’s over, vowing to stay as far away from the umbrella as possible for now and crawling into Angus’s arms.

“You okay, little guy?” He looks stunned for the second time.

“Um,” Taako says. He doesn’t know how to respond. “Angus--Angus--what’s it say?”

“‘L-U-P,’” Angus lets him know, sounding dazed. “Like your friend Barry’s… ...uh, friend, I think.”

“Oh,” Taako says, and then, “so--so why?”

“I don’t know yet, buddy,” Angus admits, standing up with him, “but I’m gonna find out.”

“Promise?” He's so tired of fire all the time.

“Promise.”

Even as things feel more confusing than ever, Taako can believe in Angus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaand we're back!! boy, a lot's happened since i last updated, actually. mostly that i had an emergency surgery bc of a cyst on my right ovary and got the cyst and part of my tube removed, jeez. BUT I'M FEELING A LOT BETTER TODAY. got tickets for an upcoming MBMBaM show, going to a concert tonight with my mum, and Justin McElroy just released a new podcast about cereal!! things are lookin' up, folks.
> 
> i love you all. <3 thanks always for being the best ever.


	28. Chapter 16, part 1

Getting down to the bottom of all these mysteries means that Angus needs some time to himself to think, so Taako starts spending even more time with June. It goes pretty much the way time with her usually goes, until one day when she steps outside and takes a call. When she comes back in, it’s with the news that she has to go back home, and she’s going to take Taako and a few of his friends with her. It’ll be _fun,_ she says, and Taako has no reason to doubt her by now. So he invites Magnus and Merle to come along (he wanted to invite Barry, too, but he wasn’t allowed to go).

Before they head off on their trip, they get to go to Fantasy Costco and get some clothes for warmer weather, which is _very_ exciting. Taako gets a new skirt that he likes a lot (and June says he looks so _pretty_ ), Magnus gets some shorts and a t-shirt, and Merle gets a kind of silly pair of pants and boots, but he has a lot of summer clothes since he lives at a beach. Taako gets to show Magnus the Fantasy Costco song he likes so much, and they spend some time running back and forth to trigger it, but Merle insists it isn’t all _that_ special, really.

Then it’s on a wagon with June and off to where she lives, and Taako is pretty excited to see it.

“Now, everyone has _permission_ to go on this trip, right?” June wants to make sure.

“Yuh-huh,” they all insist, chirruping merrily.

“Even from your mom, Merle?” She’s eyeing the young dwarf warily.

“Oh, yeah,” Merle lets her know nonchalantly, waving his wood arm as he does so. “All she needs to know usually is that I’m gonna be with friends ‘n’ it’s safe. I told her the name of this place ‘n’ she said it’s _extra_ safe here anyway, so we’re okay!”

June looks extra relieved at this. “Okay, good. She’s not wrong about that, anyway--Refuge is one of the safest places around! I just don’t want any of y’all’s guardians gettin’ upset that I took you with me or somethin’. So as long as everyone’s okay, we’ll be fine.”

Taako isn’t actually worried this time at all. As usual, June is super extra prepared. She’s got the bag with the wipes in it, and the umbrella, and a spot for Mister Mongoose when he’s not out with Taako (he likes to take Mister Mongoose on rides in the wagons now, chittering with him happily in mongoose even when Magnus and Merle think it’s weird), and he feels kind of excited to know where June comes from and special that she’d take him with her. He’s starting to learn, too, that when Angus is gone it’s not forever.

“So this is your house,” Taako remarks, mostly for the knowledge and benefit of the other two.

“Sure is, sugarplum,” June tells him, holding him close on her lap.

“Does everyone talk like you there?”

“Um, kinda, I guess.”

“ _Ooh._ ” It’s kind of silly to think about, a whole town where people talk like June, but it’s nice, too. It makes Taako feel good and comforted to think about a whole place where people call him those silly nicknames, and he figures that wherever June comes from must be pretty good if _she’s_ so good. “Now, everybody, this is June’s house, so we _gotta_ be nice.”

She smiles at him with all pretty white teeth. “That’s right, baby. Everybody try to be on their best behavior, okay?”

“I was _gonna,_ ” grumbles Merle, like he’s been accused already of something.

“Sometimes it’s fun,” Taako informs everybody, “but not today. Be _nice._ ”

June’s smile is so wide and true at him that he must be doing something right because she whispers a little word of thanks into his ear and then kisses his cheek gently. It’s something that the little elf is used to now, more used to than he could ever understand before, the kisses and the hugs and the way the lady with him talks. It used to be that he was so worried without Angus, and that June couldn’t take care of him the same and he couldn’t trust her the same, but he feels as comfortable with her now as anything. It’s nice on the way to Refuge, and it’s _very_ sunny and bright and good when they get there.

Everything is all red rocks and sand and these places made out of wood. Taako reminds Mister Mongoose to be good too, then allows June to help him out of the wagon along with his two companions. “Wowee,” he gasps at the sight of it, because this is a new kind of place and pretty neat.

“Everybody stay close ‘n’ follow me, okay?” June instructs seriously, and Taako has no problem taking her hand and then Magnus’s right quick, ‘cuz he’s about to rush off the wagon and out into the world without a care at all. He shoots his friend a stern look, and Magnus reluctantly holds hands with him and with Merle, walking along.

It doesn’t take long for them to notice how _quiet_ Magnus is, and how that’s not usual for him at all. Taako doesn’t know how to react to it, holding hands with someone so dazed and thoughtful instead of running around to try to get a look at everything, so his eyes dart everywhere in search of something fun and distracting. That’s when he spots the purple worms on the ground, tiny and looking just like something Magnus would wanna squish, and he starts making a big deal out of ‘em. “Guys, look! It’s a bunch of _worms._ Oh, no, we better fight ‘em!”

“You’re _right,_ ” Merle gasps with just the right amount of silliness. “They’re comin’ up from the _ground._ ”

Taako claps his hands dramatically and gleefully, focused on the little worms. “I’m gonna use a thunder to get them to go away!”

“Good idea, Taako,” Merle lets him know, yelling in an excited way. “I’m gonna use a big fire thing to help! Magnus, what about you?”

“Huh?” Their human friend is looking all around them, not even paying attention.

“You gonna use your axe or somethin’?” Merle is trying to help things along.

“Oh,” Magnus says, still distant. “Yeah, sure.”

“And then you dash away,” Merle tries again, sounding enthusiastic. “Dash away, _dash away!!_ ” He flails his arms and tries to run with Magnus, but he’s not very into it.

“Yeah!” Taako is worried for Magnus now, but he won’t show it just yet. “Yeah, yeah! And I’m… ...not gonna attack these worms anymore. Just ‘cuz.”

“They’re _babies,_ ” Magnus realizes with worry. “I don’t wanna anymore either.”

“Okay, fine,” Merle agrees, just staring at ‘em. “But we won!” He elbows Magnus. “Hear that? We _won._ ”

“Uh, good,” Magnus responds, not at all with his usual vigor. He seems _very_ distracted by this new place. “Sorry, you guys… I just feel like I’ve been here before. ‘m not _from_ here, but I… I just feel like… ...it’s familiar. But not _too_ familiar. But not too… ... _not_ familiar. Y’know?”

Both of his companions just blink at him. “What?”

“No way!”

All of them are so distracted now by the absurdity of what Magnus said that then they all fall down, all over each other, plummeting onto the ground and getting a faceful of dirt. It’s red and yucky to taste and June is quick to turn around and make sure no one’s hurt, but everyone’s okay. They all take it like big boys, and Magnus seems the most proud, puffing out his chest until he spies something in the distance and his eyes widen as he yells.

“It’s a _bird!!_ ”

“What?” Taako’s hat is crooked and falling over part of his face, which makes it hard to see. He stands up, dusts himself off, and adjusts it with a little huff before helping Merle up and squinting out into the distance. “What’re you _talkin’_ about? I just see a guy.”

“A _big_ guy,” Merle gasps, but Magnus is already running ahead.

“Hail and well met, bird friend!” He smiles with a face full of missing teeth, hopping up and down. “I’m Magnus… ... _Bird_ sides. Wow, I’m really funny!”

“Uh,” says the person, although the closer the two of them get the easier it is to make out a little bird on their hand. “Hi. That was a good bird joke. Are you all friends of June’s?”

Now it’s Taako’s turn to rush slightly ahead, unable to contain his excitement and pride. “June? I know her! She’s right here and she’s not really my mom. She takes care of me and she says this is her house.”

“That’s Taako,” Magnus informs the bird proudly. “He’s a wizard! An’ the other one’s Merle, and he’s--”

“He’s got _flowers_ in his beard,” Taako interjects. Usually he wouldn’t be so excited he’d interrupt and race ahead, and usually he’d be more careful, but this is a special place. He can’t let anyone else make anything go wrong, not here, not _today,_ not at June’s house.

“What’s up, bird?” Merle waves.

It’s definitely the bird that speaks now, Taako can tell, and he’s mesmerized because he’s never seen a talking bird before in his whole life. All three of the kids kind of lean in to get a better look at this strange new person, this bird that knows June. “You’ve been busy, huh, Junebug?”

June looks almost a little embarrassed. “Yeah, things’ve been sorta hectic. Sorry I didn’t get out here sooner. I know you’ve missed me ‘n’ wanted me to get back here, but things came up and--and before you know it--”

“It’s okay,” the bird chirps, and it’s hard not to believe them. No bird could ever be unfriendly. “Everyone’s just been kinda worried since we heard about Phandalin. You know about that, right? Whole town just kind of went _whoosh,_ up in smoke--”

Taako doesn’t like this bird’s words anymore. He starts to hum anxiously, pulling his hat down over his eyes, and June’s hand finds his way to his. It’s warm and it feels like home as she gives it a gentle squeeze. “I’m sure,” she says, and Taako can’t see anything anymore from the safety of his hat. “Don’t worry, though. Wasn’t anywhere near there.”

“That Angus,” the bird says warily, “he isn’t investigating anything like _that_ with you, is he?”

“‘course not.” This is a lie. June is lying, and Taako wonders why, but he’s smart enough not to say anything about it. He hopes his friends will follow his lead, still too anxious to lift up his hat. “You know us--that case is too big. Whole town means it’s best handled by the official police. I keep Angus in check, anyhow. You _know_ that.”

“Yeah, okay,” the bird concedes. “Glad someone does. Um, who are these kids, anyway? Seems like someone like you’d be too busy to start _raising children_ \--”

“Roswell,” June says with patience, and Taako figures that must be their name, “I’m okay.” Her voice lowers after this, but the little elf’s ears twitch as he hears the word “orphan” and “smaller case.” “Taako stays with Angus for now, huh darlin’?”

Taako slowly bobs his head up and down, risking a peek at the bird again. “Yuh-hum.”

“He’s shy,” June says by way of explanation. It’s weird to feel shy about a bird.

“Okay, well,” Roswell decides, “well, you should still say ‘hi’ to your dad. I think he’d appreciate it.”

June sighs. “I… I know. I’ll head there now.”

“Can I have a sandwich? I’m hungry,” Magnus informs the bird.

“Uh, we can take care of that at the sheriff’s office.”

“Cool!” Magnus seems satisfied with this, grinning.

June tells them to follow her, please, holding Taako’s hand and counting on him to keep the others nearby. He wouldn’t _dare_ disappoint June, so he’s careful to make sure everyone follows her and the bird person to the sheriff’s office. When they get there, Taako takes a look around and finds that there’s a _lady_ behind some bars and she seems very old. He’s never seen anything like this before, or anyone so old, and he’s almost mesmerized by it. There’s also a big desk with a big chair, and a lot of broken chairs around it.

This is what Magnus seems to notice and care about. “One day, ‘m gonna be able to fix chairs just like this!”

“That would be wonderful!” The bird seems to like this idea.

“I’m gonna combine _all_ these chairs,” Magnus continues rambling, “and make a bench!”

“A super-chair!” The bird really likes this one, too. “Great! You know, you guys seem like okay kids. Sorry if I came off kind of weird before; I just wasn’t expecting June to come with anyone new. I bet Sheriff Jack’s gonna like you, too.”

“What’s he like?”

“I hope he likes me,” Taako murmurs quietly. Even the _thought_ that someone as important as June’s own papa wouldn’t like him is too much, and it makes him want to pull his hat down again, but he keeps himself from doing it.

He must sound as nervous as he feels because June is quick to reassure him and smile as she holds his hand in hers. “He’s gonna _love_ you,” she says, and there’s no doubt in her voice. “Know why? ‘cuz you’re a sweet darlin’ and everyone in the _world_ should love you.” With that, she scoops Taako up into her arms, holding him close and protectively and giving him kisses. He giggles, because they’re silly and fleeting and nice.

“Just be yourselves and don’t be bad,” Roswell advises. It’s pretty good advice.

Taako decides to follow it by venturing forth to check out the old lady. There’s just something about her that seems important, something that he would need to pay attention to, and he doesn’t know why. Other than Abuelito, Taako’s never been around anyone particularly old before, but she seems friendly and pink like a rose, and her apron reminds him of Tia Tilla and helping her in the kitchen. She doesn’t deserve, he thinks, to be in time out. That’s the only way he can make sense of the bars and how she’s behind them.

As soon as he approaches, he’s a little too shy, and like always Magnus is the one that beats him to the punch, rushing over with a huge toothy grin. “Hi, there! Glad to meet you! I’m Mag--”

She turns to him with a wry smile, one that knows too much, and her eye glimmers in some kind of whimsical way. Taako’s in awe of it. “Introductions are not in order, Magnus, Taako. I am Paloma."

Both of them gasp and look at each other in awe, then back at this lady. “How’d you do that?” Magnus is the one to ask; Taako is quiet and suspicious now, staring her down warily and trying to figure out what just happened.

The lady looks as though she’s trying to figure out how to describe it. “I have… ...what you might call a gift.” Her gaze moves towards outside the place with bars, to Roswell in particular. “And what others might suggest is a curse. Ridiculous, but you are too young to understand. I _know_ things, you see, that others do not know. Or do not _yet_ know.”

“So… ...what does that mean? What do we do now?” Taako’s friend is looking at her curiously, head cocked like an inquisitive puppy.

The woman looks over at Roswell and June, somewhat nervous, before she addresses the young boys before her. “Well,” she says conspiratorially, “if you want, I can give you a _prophecy._ It’s like… ...what might happen in your future, see?”

Magnus’s eyes are as wide as saucers. “ _Wow,_ ” he whispers in awe, “okay! Sounds good.”

“Your friend doesn’t talk much,” she notes about Taako, gesturing with an old and wrinkly hand. He’s awfully embarrassed that Paloma has noticed this about him, and he pulls his hat down even over his ears, going red.

“He likes to watch things sometimes,” Magnus says kindly. “He’s _magic,_ though!”

“You _do_ seem very magical, Taako,” she says, and it’s enough to get him to peek an eye out from under the brim of his hat. He’s still quiet, but he’s noticed her face is warm and inviting now, as though she understands something or there’s something of an understanding between the two of them. “Usually, with adults much bigger than you two, I charge a fee for small prophecy or big prophecy. But being as you have such powerful magic energy on your person, young elf, I will give you a freebie.”

“ _Oohh,_ ” Magnus breathes excitedly, elbowing Taako a little. “Hear that, Taako? She likes you! She’s gonna tell you about your _future._ ” He’s enamored with the entire thing, his elf companion can tell, and he leans in much farther than Taako does to hear about it.

“Um, okay,” he says reluctantly. He’s not sure, now, if he _wants_ a lady in what appears to be in an apron and timeout all at once to tell him what his future is, but he’s too curious to really say “no.” “I guess you can tell me things.”

Paloma looks _delighted,_ lighting up like a Candlenights tree. “Very good! Okay, then, here it is. Once a timesick town, now more; those of us who know what to look for know how to _see._ You must learn to recognize a loop, young Taako! This goes _beyond_ cereals and shoelaces. Do you understand?”

He… ...doesn’t. At all. “Um.”

“Paloma,” the bird sounds suddenly from a little ways off, “don’t go suggesting things to those kids! They’re too young to know what’s real and what’s not real.” They seem irritated with the lady.

“Not _real,_ ” Paloma scoffs, rolling her eyes. “I tell you, in any other circumstance, I am respected! Listened to! My craft is a difficult one, and arduous work. It would be nice to receive some appreciation for what I do for this town.”

“Telling tall tales,” Roswell quips back, “that’s all you do.”

“Suit yourself,” she shrugs. “Be unprepared for future. No skin off my nose!”

This is a _very_ strange thing to say; Taako doesn’t want to think about it, wrinkling his own nose and backing up reflexively. He decides he’s had _enough_ of this strange lady, and instead focuses his sights on a desk that looks like it might have some interesting stuff inside.

“Magnus,” he tries, remembering the time with the fruit on the trees, “wanna help me see what’s inside _that?_ ” He gestures to the desk, whispering and trying to be careful not to attract the attention of Roswell or June.

Magnus looks eager but then exhibits a rare moment of self-restraint. “I dunno, Taako. You’re the one who told us we gotta be extra good at June’s house. It doesn’t seem like a very good idea.”

Wow, sometimes Magnus is really right about things. “Oh, yeah,” Taako murmurs, now slightly embarrassed with himself for even considering taking things out of a desk when June is right here and her papa is coming. “Oops. Okay, never mind.” He wants to be _very_ good for June and her dad, so even though he’s fidgety, he decides to be on his best behavior.

This lasts a few seconds before he’s trying to climb up the chair, unable to help himself even in circumstances like this, and he’s having trouble getting up because he’s too tiny. He wobbles in the chair and accidentally knocks on the desk, and when he does, a _loud_ alarm goes off. This is the worst and loudest thing he’s ever heard in his entire life, and it startles him so much that he’s trying to pull his hat down over his ears and isn’t paying attention, falling right off the chair. It… ...hurts, to say the least, and the sound is still going and he’s trying not to cry.

June is surprised and looks over at him, hurrying to his side. “You okay, pumpkin?”

He nods, biting a wobbling lip.

She’s still inspecting him for cuts and bruises like a good mama, but she’s not finding much, and she sighs. “Good. Well, I… I’m sorry to say I’m a little disappointed in you, Taako. I knew Magnus’d be rowdy, but I never expected to have problems with _you_ here. My pa’s comin’ ‘n’ I thought I could count on you out of everyone to be on your very best behavior. Can I still count on that?”

He doesn’t even realize he’s crying when she reaches out and wipes a few tears away, but he nods meekly. It’s not difficult to notice Roswell then, and definitely easy to take in the full scope of how they’re not just a bird, but a bird _and_ a big ol’ guy, because they’re sizing Taako and his friends up then, which doesn’t make him feel better at all. “Look, I--I put my trust in you guys, and you really blew it. I’m--I’m not gonna hurt you, but can you go in timeout for a second? ‘S what I used to do for Junebug, too.”

June looks sheepish then. “Roswell, I dunno that they need--”

“It’s okay, June. It’s actually really--it’ll be a really cozy experience. You can work on a puzzle while we wait for Sheriff Jack, how’s that sound?”

Finally, Taako sighs, scrutinizing the so-called puzzle that the bird guy has produced. “Fine, okay. Let’s go in timeout, guys.” He’s trying to do his best at not crying, but he’s definitely near tears as he goes with his friends into a corner. His one time at June’s house, about to meet her papa, and he can’t even be good then--he has to be bad, bad all the time, and he feels awfully distressed about this.

“Hey, hey,” Merle tries to cheer him up, patting him with his wood hand, “it’s not all _that_ bad! At least we’re not in _that_ timeout.” He gestures to where Paloma is. “It looks pretty boring in there, huh? Like… ... _grown up_ timeout. Uh… ...hi, by the way. I’m Merle.” He spares her a friendly wave with his wooden hand.

She regards him kindly. “Ah, hello, young dwarf!”

“What’s Sheriff Jack like?” Merle glances at Taako in a way that suggests he knows how anxious the young elf is about it.

“Oh, he’s fine,” she scoffs dismissively, “although not at all good for business. Accusing me of charlatanry! Pah. Maybe if he occasionally _paid_ for prophecy he would see Paloma is not full of shit, but that is his prerogative, I guess.”

None of them understand what this means.

“He is also the _mayor,_ ” she tells them all, turning her nose up. “Too good for the common folk, I guess! Has a very big and fancy house.”

“Oh,” Taako tells her, “Angus has one too!”

“Does he? How nice for him. Not that I am complaining myself; I need only a small cottage to bake and tell future.” He doesn’t question how this old lady knows Angus; she already knows everything else.

Suddenly, the ground begins to _shake._ Taako is instantly on alert, making his way frantically to June, and she instructs him to drop under the desk, telling everyone to do the same. By this point, Taako’s awfully tired of things like this happening, and he wishes they wouldn’t, but he hunkers down with her and pulls his hat over his eyes until it’s over.

“What _was_ that, June?” He whispers to her in terror, shaking.

“Just an earthquake, sugarplum,” she says, but she sounds guarded and wary. “It’s when the ground gets all rattled ‘s’all. Is everyone okay?”

Everyone nods and confirms that they are, and decide that they’ve earned a break from timeout. It doesn’t matter very much, because shortly after that, more tremors pick up. This time, Taako knows, the ground _splits_ like it had poor stitches holding it together, and they’ve come undone. A light spills out from it, and soon not even clutching June can help as she’s nowhere to be found; Roswell is crushed, all three of them are on fire and burning and hurting, hurting more than Taako has _ever_ hurt in his entire life, and he lets out a wail at the same time something big and angry and vengeful howls in his ear.

This is how Taako dies.

He doesn’t know enough about death to know that’s what it is, but--

\--but then he wakes up.

Something, Taako decides then, is _very_ wrong with June’s house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i FINALLY UPDATED THIS THING. this is a difficult arc to... lmao, like. ... DO?? i've had to rly think abt it for a lot of reasons. but it is also one of my favs, so. I DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT MY WRITING LATELY but this yr i AM doing NaNoWriMo so at least that's a thing uhhhhh yep!!! lots has been goin on in my life bye love you


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